Morningstar: The Black Queen
by PhantomhiveXIII
Summary: SebastianxOC - Lucy Durless has no memory of herself prior to the destruction of her village.  Her very existence is Heaven's greatest taboo.  In her search to find herself, her destiny becomes entwined with that of the cursed house of Phantomhive...
1. Prologue: Luciana

Here's the prologue of my first story. I hope you like it!

Kuroshitsuji / Black Butler © Yana Toboso, Square Enix, A-1 Pictures, Yen Press, and FUNimation Entertainment. The following is a fan-made story written for entertainment purposes only. No profits are being made. Please support the official release.

* * *

_Darkness…darkness…__**darkness**__…_

_That's all this world is – the coldness, the emptiness…the nothingness._

_The darkness is nothingness._

_I see nothing._

_I feel nothing._

_I __**am**__ nothing._

_The darkness coils around me, destroying all that I am, all that I was, all that I will be…_

"_I"…do I even exist?_

_Does anything exist? _

_Is there a world beyond darkness?_

_Is there…?_

_Wait…_

_What is that up ahead?_

…

"Salve Regina_."_

_

* * *

_

Another long, busy, exhausting day.

Twenty-one-year-old Angelina Durless sighed deeply, flopping ungracefully down into her chair and pushing her crimson-red hair out of her face; she could forgive herself this lack of elegance this one time, for her day had been _exceptionally_ tiring. A long day of work at the Royal London Hospital, followed by an extravagant ball held by the Duke of Albany, and ending with a romantic stroll in the gardens with the Baron Barnett. On her feet from sunrise to midnight…_such busy lives the beautiful lead_, she thought wryly, chuckling a little to herself.

Still, she didn't mind all that much – it had been a very nice day, even if it had been ridiculously packed. There'd been not one, but _three_ births that day, and Angelina had made it a point to midwife all three, staying each time for as much of the labor process as possible. She loved it when babies were born. In fact, it was only after watching a live birth that Angelina felt inspired and confident enough to defy her family's wishes and get her medical license. The first gulp of air, the shrieks of a new life, the wonder in the new mother's eyes when her baby was presented to her…every moment was so magical and precious. She hoped with all her heart, as she did every time she assisted in a birth, that one day _she'd_ feel that magic as well.

And the ball had been fun, too. She'd worn her favorite red silk dress and danced with scores of rich and handsome men. She'd flirted and gossiped and swooned in all the right places; she'd become something of an expert on all things social, and all the younger girlies had flocked to her for advice. The ones at tonight's gathering had some real potential…but of course, they'd never be as glamorous as _she_ was.

And then there was Baron Barnett. Average wealth, average looks, average personality. Nothing particularly special about him. Still, Angelina supposed that he _was_ rather sweet. He'd sought her out at the last three soirées, and he always gave out such flattering compliments. He wasn't a bad dancer, either, and he had consistently saved her the last dance at every ball they'd attended. It couldn't be more obvious that he was head-over-heels in love with her. It seemed like he'd been trying to confess his feelings in the garden, but the poor man was too tongue-tied to say more than, "Ann…I…uh…" It had been admittedly very cute, and Angelina had saved him the trouble of continuing and rewarded his good taste by kissing him playfully.

"I suppose he's going to ask for my hand next," she mused aloud, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. In a practical sense, it didn't seem too terrible an idea. Barnett may have been bland, but he was honest and pure, and he seemed like he'd take good care of her. And anyways, she was twenty-one now – dangerously close to old-maid territory. Her beautiful face certainly wouldn't last forever, so she had to take full advantage of this opportunity.

And yet…there was _that _man…that wonderful, unattainable man she couldn't forget even if her life depended on it. Ann sighed deeply, cupping her cheek in her hand and staring off wistfully into space. "Oh, Vincent…if only I'd been as wonderful as my sister…maybe then…"

_Knock, knock, knock_.

Angelina jumped in surprise, glancing over suspiciously at the front door. Who on earth could that be? It was well past midnight…who had such urgent business at this time of night that they had to physically come to her house? Grabbing a knife from the table just in case, she stood up, crossed the room, and tentatively opened the door. "Hello…?"

What she saw nearly made her jump out of her skin. Standing in the doorway was a tall, dark figure dressed in a black coat and top hat. The coat's collars were turned up, and the hat had been pulled down over the figure's eyes, so its face was indistinguishable. There was an undeniable aura of darkness about him (if indeed it was a "him"), and even the air around him seemed ten degrees colder. Ann wouldn't be surprised if at any second he leapt at her with a butcher's knife like in one of those horror novels Rachel was always reading. In short, the figure was absolutely terrifying.

But wasn't the figure itself that had given Angelina such a fright – it was what he was carrying. Held protectively in the dark creature's arms was a young girl, perhaps ten or eleven years old, most likely unconscious, and frightfully small and skinny, with matted black hair and a torn once-white dress. Her skin was raw and red from burns, and every inch of her was covered in blood. Most horrifying were her eyes – wide open despite her comatose state, staring blankly off into space. Even though she was breathing steadily, she had the eyes of the dead.

Angelina let out a gasp of horror at the poor girl's condition. "Oh, my goodness! What's happened to her?"

"You are Angelina Durless, correct?" the figure asked softly. It was definitely a masculine voice, very deep, with an almost musical quality to it. There was something about his dark tone and timbre that sent shivers down Angelina's spine.

"I-I am. But this girl, what –?"

"A great tragedy has struck this night," the man went on before Angelina could finish. "This girl's village has been utterly destroyed by a tremendous fire. She is the only one who survived."

"Oh, how dreadful," Angelina whispered weakly. "The poor thing…" She reached out her arms, silently asking to take a look. The man hesitated, but gingerly handed off his burden. The girl, despite her scrawny stature, was a little too heavy for Angelina, so the young doctor had to kneel down on the doorstep and sit her up on the carpet. "Oh, dear, how simply awful…"

"I'm told you are quite the skilled doctor," the man continued, placing his arms awkwardly at his sides (it seemed as though he didn't know what to do with them now that they were empty). "Perhaps there is something that can be done for her?"

"Yes, I think I'll be able to help," Angelina muttered absentmindedly, absorbed in the task at hand. "Hmm, second-degree burns…those should heal on their own in a few weeks…quite a bit of blood, but she doesn't look cut anywhere…I should look for broken bones, sprains, torn ligaments…"

"She has been complaining of excruciating pain in her chest," the man broke in.

"Her chest, eh?" Personally, Angelina didn't think this doll of a child had enough awareness to speak, let alone complain. Still, she was required to look. "Excuse me, dear," she said gently, tugging down the neckline of her ruined dress. The girl made no response; it was like talking to a mannequin. Angelina leaned in for a closer look, but…there didn't seem to be any problem. Smooth, unbroken, snow-white skin everywhere she looked – there weren't even any burns. What was there to complain about? Perplexed, she pressed her finger against the girl's skin…

…and like pressing a switch on a toy, the girl suddenly came to life, her dull eyes becoming wide and panicked. She let out a high-pitched scream of pain and terror and began thrashing about wildly, her body shaking like a leaf. It was all Ann could do to hold on to her. "Hush, child, hush," she soothed gently, pulling her hand back from her chest and stroking her jet-black hair. The girl eventually calmed down, her body going limp and the dead look returning to her eyes.

Angelina let out the breath she'd been holding and turned back to the dark figure, who had strangely not moved once during the girl's entire outburst. "Phew…! Well, it certainly doesn't _look_ like there's anything wrong with her chest, but she's obviously distressed in some way…well, the hospital's closed to new patients at this time of night, but I can run her over there first thing in the morning and take a better look. Besides that, all she needs is a bath, some ice, and my special aloe extract and she'll be right as rain in two or three –"

"Her suffering is not only _physical_, Angelina Durless," the man interrupted, startling Ann into silence. "For whatever reason, this young lady has lost each and every one of her memories."

Angelina felt her eyes widen. The poor child was already hurting so much, and now this? "L-Lost her memories? You mean amnesia?"

The figure nodded once in affirmation. "Yes. She can no longer recall her time spent in her village, the faces of her family and friends, or even her own name."

Ann's heart sank in pity. "How dreadful," she whispered again, taking ahold of the child's hand. She made no response – and how could she? She was no more than an infant, a living doll. "Was it from a bump on the head? Shock? Psychological trauma?"

"I cannot say."

"I see…well, I'm afraid I've never had an amnesia patient before. I'm not quite sure what sort of treatment I could give without at least knowing the cause…but when I take her in tomorrow, I'll have a specialist look at her, Dr. Phelps or someone…"

"No," the man said sharply, his air of menace tangibly increasing. "It must be _you_ who cares for her, Angelina Durless."

Angelina physically shrank from the man's hostility, but she kept her psyche strong. "Wh-Why me?"

"It was the dying wish of this girl's mother that I place her into your care – and your care_ alone_."

She suppressed a shiver of fear. "But why _me_?" she asked again. "I've never even met the woman! Why would she entrust the safety and well-being of her daughter to someone she doesn't even know?"

"Ah, but she _did_ know you," the man replied cryptically. "And you knew her, as well. In fact, it was _because _of her, and this young lady here, that you were inspired to become a doctor."

Ann stared at him blankly. Because of the girl and her mother? But how was that possible? She'd never seen them before…unless…

"Th-That girl," she began, trying to keep her voice steady. "She isn't…?"

"She is. You, a young girl with no medical experience, assisted in delivering this child when no one else would. You showed inner strength, gentle care, and unbelievable kindness to a woman you had never met. Even now, eleven years later, at her dying moment, My Lady remembered that kindness."

"I…I see…" Angelina said softly. Yes, it was all coming back to her now…she had been there to visit her big sister, who was getting her tonsils removed, but she had gotten lost on the way back from the washroom…and then, she'd found a gypsy woman all alone in a side room, in full-blown labor…she'd sat and talked to her, comforted her and held her hand, until a nurse finally arrived to deliver the baby girl…Ann looked over at the unmoving child. Could this really be that same baby?

"That is why," the man went on, "with her last breath, she instructed me to take her here, into your care – medical _and _familial."

"F-Familial?" Ann stuttered, a realization striking her down like lightning. "You mean…_adoption_? But I…I can't…"

"You must understand, Angelina Durless," the man said coldly, "that this girl has no family, home, or means of support. And now, with the loss of her memories, she is completely helpless. My Lady trusts you, and _only_ you, to be a replacement mother for her. There is no one else who can take her." To Ann's imagination, he seemed to grow larger, darker, like a shadow threatening to smother her. "You are her only hope."

Ann tore her eyes from the frightening figure before her and looked down weakly at the girl. Her, mother this child? But how? She was unmarried, a full-time worker, a party girl. She didn't know the first thing about taking care of kids. She was barely making ends meet as it was, and she knew she'd never get any support from her disapproving parents. Besides, who would watch over her when she was at work? At parties? Did this mean she'd have to give up her social life? Angelina shuddered – she'd _die_ before she'd let that happen.

And yet…could she really toss this homeless orphan out into the streets to die?

…

No. She couldn't. She was disgusted at the very idea.

Maybe it was her horror at the girl's ordeal. Maybe it was the memory of the sparkle in that woman's eyes as she was handed her wailing baby. Maybe it was some subconscious need to care for something smaller and weaker than herself. Maybe it was the strength of her Christian duty. Maybe it was the longing to bring life, real life, to those dead, dead eyes. Or maybe, just maybe, it was the fact that in this light, those long black bangs, those chocolate-brown eyes, that pale skin, and that beauty mark beneath her eye made her almost look like _him_…but whatever the reason, Ann decided right then and there that she wanted nothing more than to take in this still doll.

"All right," she said hoarsely, wrapping her arms more tightly around the girl. "All right. I'll…I'll take her. I'll treat her like my own daughter, you see if I don't."

And in that instant, a sudden change came about the figure; even all covered up and cloaked in darkness, he seemed to relax somehow, as though a heavy burden had been lifted off his shoulders. "Very well. I see My Lady was right to name you as Luciana's guardian. I trust you will keep to your word."

"Luciana?"

"Yes. Her birth name. For future reference, she prefers to be called 'Lucy,' although I doubt she will remember."

"Then you know her!" Angelina gasped. "How? Are you her father? Brother? Betrothed?"

The man was silent for a moment before answering. "Perhaps it should have been better for her if I had been any of those things."

Ann's gossipy nature perked up, but she forced herself to focus on the matter at hand. "But you obviously know _something _of her past. Why can't you tell me right now? If I tell her, she may get her memories back!"

He shook his head slowly. "No. This is neither the time, nor the place. No matter the circumstances, Luciana's memories will not return until she steps forward to meet her fate. When that time comes, I shall return to give her the answers she needs." He took a single step backwards from the two on the doorstep.

"Wha…you're leaving?" Angelina sputtered. "Y-You _can't_! You can't just go off and –"

The words died in her throat as she glanced down at the girl, Lucy. A sudden change had come over her; once more, life and awareness had come to her eyes, and she now had a teary, shocked look on her face. She weakly reached out an arm towards the figure, making choked, unintelligible mewling noises at his retreating form.

The figure suddenly sprang forward, kneeling before the broken child and taking her hand tightly in both of his. "Be at peace, My Lady," he murmured, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. "It is hardly good-bye forever. I shall return to you before you realize I have left." He leaned his head close to her face, as though to kiss her. "Until then, fare thee well, my dear Luciana." He slowly pulled away, stood, and turned to walk away, his coat billowing about him. Lucy's hand dropped, and a single tear fell down her cheek as she once more became inanimate.

"W-Wait!" Angelina called after that figure, desperate to ask what she should have asked the moment she opened the door. "Who are you? What are you to this girl?"

The man paused and slowly turned to face them. The light from this street lamp flared, and in that instant, Angelina spotted two glowing orbs the color of blood beneath the brim of the man's hat. "I am all she shall ever need. I am teacher, protector, confidante…and one 'hell' of a servant." And without warning, he vanished into the darkness, leaving Ann and her new charge staring after him in wonder.

And Angelina Durless, Madame Red, finally felt that precious magic, the magic of motherhood, welling up in her heart.

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Please leave a review and tell me what you thought. I'll try and put the first chapter up sometime next week.


	2. Chapter 1: That Girl, in the Morning

Here's the first chapter, out earlier than I thought. I was really booking it today...I hope you enjoy it!

Kuroshitsuji / Black Butler © Yana Toboso, Square Enix, A-1 Pictures, Yen Press, and FUNimation Entertainment. The following is a fan-made story written for entertainment purposes only. No profits are being made. Please support the official release.

* * *

_Fields of fire devouring all in their path, without discrimination or mercy._

_Crimson-red blood soaking into the earth, seeping out of living creatures._

_Screams filling the air, abruptly cut short by the Master of All Things, Death._

_Broken bodies strewn across the ground, eyes gaping at the Heaven they will never reach._

_Souls cleaved from their vessels, devoured before reaching Paradise by hungry demons._

_Some people would call this hell._

_But to me, it's just the world._

_The world I was born into._

_The first world I ever knew._

_Before He came for me._

_

* * *

_

It would not be morning in the Durless house without some sort of domestic catastrophe.

Luciana Durless rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and listened amusedly to the ruckus going on downstairs. She couldn't hear what was being said, but from the tone of her foster mother's voice, it sounded as though Grell had screwed up again. Not once in the two-and-a-half years he'd been here had he done anything remotely competent, except maybe being willing to run out and buy "feminine things" (as the Madame called them) when everyone else was too sick to leave the house. The poor man. She felt bad for him, but at least his constant blunders kept things interesting.

Pulling herself up to a sitting position, Lucy stretched her arms high above her head, pushing the stiffness of sleep out of her limbs. "Hmm…stiff, but not sore," she murmured thoughtfully to herself. "Good…that's one down."

"One," of course, meant "symptom" – she'd been frail and sickly for as long as she could remember, so she performed health inspections every day when she got up just to make sure she wasn't ill. Her self-examination was especially important this morning, as she'd just (hopefully) gotten over another bout of sickness that had kept her in bed for the past week. So far, so good, but there was still a long way to go.

Lucy wriggled out from under the covers and gingerly lowered herself onto the floor, her legs wobbling a bit from disuse. Putting a hand on the wall for support, she stumbled over to her bureau and gazed into the full-length mirror attached to the wall, giving herself a thorough once-over. "Eyes aren't clouded anymore…cheeks are rosier…" She inhaled deeply. "Nose isn't as stuffy…" She stuck out her tongue. "Ahhh…yes, that looks fine. Erm…hearing is normal, throat doesn't hurt, and stomach feels fine…I'm a little dizzy, but that just might be because I haven't stood up in so long…hmm…" She looked at herself for a long time before smiling at her reflection. "I guess this means I'm well again!"

There was suddenly a quiet knock on her bedroom door. "Y-Young M-Mistress? A-Are you awake?"

"Good morning, Grell," Lucy called out from her spot by the mirror. "Yes, I'm awake. Please come in."

The door slowly creaked open, and Grell Sutcliff, bumbling butler extraordinaire, stumbled into the room, bowing meekly. "G-Good morning, Y-Young Mistress…ah, you're out of bed! Are you s-sure that's okay?"

Lucy smiled weakly, feeling her cheeks redden in embarrassment. "Ah, well…I don't feel sick anymore, so I think I'm okay to walk around…"

"Oh, I-I see," Grell answered nervously, wringing his hands together. "How wonderful."

Mistress and servant lapsed into uncomfortable silence. _What a pair we make_, Lucy thought conscientiously, staring down at her hands. Grell, naturally, was too upset by his most recent screw-up (whatever that was) to talk much, and anyway, he didn't have to in the first place. He was a butler, just someone to blend in with the wallpaper until his mistress called. But as for herself…society dictated that young ladies be seen and not heard, but this was a bit much (secretly, Lucy didn't give a damn what society thought of her, but she would never say so, even if she could speak freely). She was shy by nature, and always struggled with talking to others, even people she knew well. She cursed her lack of confidence, but what could she do? She couldn't be what she wasn't already.

She supposed that she had a good excuse – who wouldn't be timid after living through what she had?

"S-So, erm…" Lucy forced out finally, turning her face from her butler's. "I-I heard a lot of noise downstairs earlier. Is everything okay?"

Grell sighed sadly (and a bit dramatically). "Oh…I feel so silly for it, Young Mistress. You see, I was lost in thoughts of an old friend of mine whom I miss very, _very _dearly, and I wasn't looking where I was going, and I…I…" His eyes welled up with tears. "I spilled tea all over the Mistress's dress!"

Lucy winced. If there was one thing Madame Red hated, it was a ruined dress. "Oh, my…again?" Grell nodded glumly. This was the third time in the past month he had soiled the Madame's clothes, and if the last two times were any indication of her tolerance for stains, the poor butler was marked for death. "I'm so sorry that happened, Grell…but, er, it wasn't one of her evening gowns, was it?"

"N-No," Grell sniveled. "I-It…it was her w-work dress."

"Well, that's all right, then, isn't it?" Lucy replied kindly. She handed him one of the pocket-handkerchiefs lying on the bureau. "The Madame has got dozens of the same dress she uses for work, and she's always carrying on about how ugly they are. You might have actually done her a favor."

Grell dabbed the handkerchief beneath his eyes and gave his young mistress a watery smile. "Oh, how kind you are, Young Mistress! You're a true friend! If only all servants could have a Mistress as compassionate and sensitive as you!"

"Er…thank you very much, Grell," Lucy responded sheepishly. "I'm glad I've made you feel better." She didn't consider her words to be extraordinarily kind, but Grell had a tendency to overreact to the simplest of things. Even after over two years, Lucy still hadn't gotten used to her butler's slightly effeminate melodrama. This next part of her routine in particular always through her for a loop…"I-In any case, since I'm well enough to stand, I should be well enough to get properly dressed. Would you, er…" Deep breath. "…help me, Grell?"

"It would be an honor, Young Mistress," Grell replied happily, bowing with a flourish.

"A-All right then…thank you…" Lucy began opening drawers in her bureau and began sifting through their contents, but her butler quickly beat her to it; in a flash, he had all of her underclothes – stockings, garters, bloomers, shift, and the dreaded corset – laid out on the bed. Feeling her face redden again, Lucy perched on the edge of her bed and allowed Grell to dress her, being sure to keep her nightgown on for as long as possible.

She'd never gotten used to being clothed by a man, even if it was only Grell. It was too embarrassing. Still, despite all her glitz and glamor, Madame Red was a working class woman who couldn't afford another servant. Of course, Lucy knew that if she asked for a lady-in-waiting, her foster mother would cross Hell and High Water to procure one. However, the thought of such selfless fervor for her sake would plunge her into waves of guilt. So, she made do with her discomfort and stayed silent.

Still, Lucy reasoned, it wasn't as bad as it could have been. Despite his masculinity, Grell was fairly skilled at clothing her. He dressed her quickly, but thoroughly; he didn't leave so much as one button undone. He was excellent at picking out clothing that was both comfortable and fashionable – not just good-looking, mind you, but good-looking on _her_. He seemed to know, without her having to say anything, when something was too tight or itchy for her. To this day, she never figured out how he was such an efficient dresser – her first thought was that he had had much practice undressing women for "recreational" purposes, but judging by his reactions after seeing female skin (or rather, lack thereof), she had to toss out that idea. Her new theory was that he was either secretly a cross-dresser, a homosexual, or a woman (these thoughts were improper and a little mentally disturbing, but oddly amusing at the same time).

However, it wasn't Grell's speed, accuracy, or even his apparently asexual attitude that kept Lucy semi-comfortable during the dressing process – it was the smile on his face every morning when given the task. Grell _loved _dressing her; even now, she could see his tears replaced by joyous sparkles and hear his cheerful humming as he straightened her shift. That was good – he looked as though he'd been one teardrop away from threatening to throw himself from the rooftop…_again_. Lucy felt a smile of her own coming on; it always felt good to make others happy, especially when they had so little to be happy about.

But her joy was short-lived – before long, Grell was pulling her nightgown over her head and fitting the corset around her torso. Lucy gulped nervously, already feeling claustrophobic. "Do I…must I really wear a corset today?" she asked meekly.

Grell looked up at her, surprised. "Why, of course, Young Mistress! They are a necessary part of one's attire, not to mention _highly_ fashionable! A proper lady isn't fully dressed without one!"

"I'd rather not be a proper lady," Lucy answered under her breath, "if it means having my organs crushed."

"Oh, come now, Young Mistress. All the ladies wear corsets, and not a one has complained of crushed organs." He paused. "…although, now that you mention it, Young Mistress, you could probably get away with not wearing one."

"Could I?" Lucy echoed, smiling hopefully.

"Yes, you already have such a small waist. If the Young Mistress will permit me to say so, you have a lovely figure. It's so…_willowy_."

Lucy smiled thinly. "Thank you, Grell, but I feel uncomfortable hearing those types of things…and, er, you don't need to lie for my benefit. I know I'm not willowy."

"Of course you are!" Grell insisted. "Just look at this slender –"

"Excuse me, Grell, but I'm not slender, either. I am _skinny as a twig_. I look as though I'm refusing to eat." It was true – Lucy had a natural aneorexic-model body type, and she despised it with all her being. It made her feel like the invalid she constantly was. _It would have been better_, she thought sadly, _if I should at least be taller, or have breasts_…sadly, she had neither, and at seventeen, looked barely older than her twelve-year-old cousins.

"Most ladies would kill for a figure like that," Grell pointed out cheerily.

"Yes, well, I'm afraid I'm not most la – AAGH!" Lucy gasped, gripping tightly to the bedpost. Grell had just taken this opportunity to tighten the corset.

"Please excuse me, Young Mistress!" he simpered, tying the ribbons off skillfully.

Lucy clutched at her heaving chest, struggling to catch her breath. She really hated these things. "You're…you're lucky you'll never have to…wear one of these…Grell," she puffed.

"Yes, I suppose you're right," Grell answered. He sounded sad…no, disappointed? Chalk one up for the cross-dressing theory. "Now, Young Mistress, which dress shall you wear today?" he asked excitedly, opening her closet. This was his favorite part.

"Oh, it doesn't really matter," Lucy said dismissively, sitting back down. "The professors' aren't coming today, and I don't think Madame Red will want me to go out so soon after I was sick –"

Grell frowned. "Eh? I thought the Mistress was working today…"

"It's Sunday, isn't it?"

"Yes, but I overheard the Mistress on the phone. One of her colleagues has fallen ill, so she'll be taking his place today."

Lucy's eyes widened at the full implications of the situation. "So…I-I'll be visiting Cousin Ciel again today?"

"I imagine so. You shouldn't be at home by yourself, especially after you've just been ill."

Lucy looked down at her clasped hands, feeling her heartbeat speed up. Madame Red was away from home often because of work, but she hated leaving Lucy alone with just Grell for company – "After all, Grell won't know what to do if you collapse!" she would say only half-jokingly. And so every morning before work, she would drop her foster daughter of at the home of her nephew, the Earl of Phantomhive. Lucy would be going there again today…

…which meant that she'd be seeing _him_.

"…the red dress," she whispered finally, her hands shaking. "The one…with the amethyst."

"Ah, an excellent choice, Young Mistress! You do look so lovely in that one…just a moment…" He rummaged around in the closet for a moment before pulling out the dress of choice – an ankle-length, rose-red dress with stiff white fabric sewn into the high neckline and cuffs and an amethyst sewn into the seam of the neck. "Now, if you'll excuse me…" A flourish of fabric, a few ribbons tied, and Lucy was fully dressed at last. "Oh, how wonderful you look, Young Mistress! Just like a princess!"

That was a bit of an exaggeration in Lucy's opinion, but she had to admit that she did look nice in the dress. Not as beautiful as she wanted to, of course, but with what she had to work with, this was the best she could do. And it really wasn't that bad.

She just hoped he'd like it.

"Now I just need to fix your hair," Grell went on, "and then I'll escort you to the dining room –"

"Excuse me, Grell," Lucy interrupted mildly, "but could you please wait a moment? There's something I have to do first." Without waiting for her butler's reply, she returned to the mirror and looked long and hard at her reflection – not at her dress, but straight into her own muddy-brown eyes. There was still one more part to her inspection that she needed to do.

Her breathing became slow and deep, and her mouth set into a thin, firm line. _This is it. I'll do it today. I can feel it._ She hadn't been able to in six years, but she'd do it today.

She would remember her past.

Lucy closed her eyes and searched through the farthest corners of her mind. Her earliest memory…she remembered being in a place filled with fire. The trees, the buildings, the fields…everything had been alight in flame. And there had been blood, too – a deep crimson fluid soaked through the soil and filled the air with its sickly-sweet, cloying scent. It had been all over everything, including her. Next came the bodies – men and women, children and animals, strewn across the ground, floating in the river, and dangling from the treetops. Their faces were all frozen in terror, their blank eyes turned upwards towards the Heaven they would soon reach…Lucy shuddered involuntarily at the memory.

What came next? She remembered being in some catatonic state…she had been awake, but she felt like she was sleeping, like she was viewing the world through a layer of fuzz…she couldn't comprehend or recognize anything around her, so she stayed still, like a doll…she was lost in the darkness of her mind, the quiet of her soul…

…and then came the scream. It was faint, so far away that it was like it wasn't real, like she'd only imagined it. It sounded like a little boy crying out into the destruction, _"Don't leave me alone! Please!"_ And then she remembered panicking, realizing that she, too, was alone in a world she didn't understand, that she would die isolated and unknowing…

And then that man had come. That wonderful man dressed all in black, hiding his face beneath a coat and hat. He'd walked right through the flames and knelt down beside her, whispering soothing things in his deep, musical voice. She couldn't remember all of what he had said, but she vaguely recalled sweet, comforting words, a gentle touch, an oath of protection and care. He had picked her up – such strong, gentle arms! – and carried her away from the fire and blood, bringing her here. Lucy felt a wave of peace and happiness course through her body; her feelings for that man went beyond gratitude, even beyond love. He was the Beginning of the World, the first living thing she'd seen since losing her memories, and the Savior who had brought her out of Hell. She hoped with all her heart that what the Madame said was true – that one day, he'd come back to her.

But before all of that…nothing. Not a single memory. It was like her entire mind was covered in a thick, choking fog, blocking out her life up until that point. But she couldn't let the fog take her. She couldn't. Warily, as she did every morning, she tried to make her way through the fog of her mind, looking for even the slightest glimmer in the haze…

"Ouch!"

A searing pain flared up in her heart, and she collapsed to her knees, clutching her chest. The pain was blinding…it was like her entire essence was being burned away…her head exploded in a flash…spots danced before her eyes…

…and just as quickly as it had come, it was gone, and Lucy was suddenly aware of Grell shaking her shoulders. "Young Mistress? A-Are you okay? Young Mistress!"

She didn't answer right away. How could she? She'd failed again. She couldn't break through the barrier in her brain. _Why?_ Why couldn't she remember? Why didn't the fog lift?

And why was it that her _chest_, and not her _head_, hurt whenever she tried?

"Y-Yes, I'm okay," she murmured finally, pulling herself unsteadily to her swaying feet. "I-I just…it's just a bit of heartburn. I'm fine, really, I am."

"I hope so," Grell replied worriedly, putting his arm around her for support. "Come, Mistress Lucy, let's have Mistress Angelina take a look at you. Then I'll get you a spot of breakfast…some solid food will do you good, I imagine, especially after all that soup and medicine…" He slowly led his self-loathing young mistress out of the bedroom.

She hated that she was so weak. She hated that she was doomed to ignorance.

And if she had another attack of illness at her cousin's house, she was going to take a leaf out of Grell's book and make good on his threats of suicide. _If I don't suffocate to death in this corset first…_

_

* * *

_

"By the way, dear, you had a visitor come calling while you were ill," Madame Red was saying casually, trying to fix her makeup in the unsteady, jostling carriage.

Lucy tore her eyes away from the window and looked at her foster mother with mild interest. "Oh? Who was it?" _It couldn't have been the man who saved me…could it_? She felt a sudden stab of alarm – if that was the case, why hadn't the Madame sent him up to see her? Had he already left? "Please, tell me, Madame Red."

The Madame looked up at her over her hand-held mirror with an expression that was half-pouting, half-angry. "Oh, how many times must I tell you, Lucy dear? I may have adopted you, but I'm still your parent! Call me 'Mother'!"

"M-Mother…" Lucy acquiesced reluctantly. It was hard for her to refer to her foster parent as her mum, especially since she knew she was not the Madame's biological daughter. It didn't help that her party-girl attitude was anything but maternal. Still, the Madame was pretty sensitive about it (probably because she couldn't bear any real children), so Lucy struggled past her discomfort. She still needed reminders, though. "Please tell me who my visitor was, Mother."

Madame Red beamed at her. "That's much better. It was that man we met at Countess Gartland's birthday party, do you remember? Dresses all in white, long platinum-blond hair…you know who I'm talking about, right? I haven't the foggiest what his name is…"

What a blatant lie. Of course Madame Red knew – she knew everything that could possibly be known about the upper classes of Great Britain. She could even tell you what Baron Bath had for breakfast that morning, or which boy Earl Warwick's daughter had been caught with in the parlor room. She was only feigning ignorance to judge her foster daughter's reaction.

Lucy knew this, of course. Even more unfortunate was the fact that she knew to whom the Madame was referring. "Lord Chambers, Mother."

"Ah, yes, that's it! A nobleman, right?" She was barely containing her wide grin and joyous bounces.

"The Viscount of Druitt, Mother."

"Right, right! Such a nice man, visiting you when you were sick – and hasn't he asked to dance with you at the last three soirées?"

Lucy's heart sank. She didn't like where this was headed. "Yes…?"

Madame Red leaned in conspiratorially, grinning knowingly from ear to ear; this was probably where she got to the point. "You know, dear, there's a rumor going around that Lord Druitt is going to ask for your hand!"

Lucy sighed heavily. She thought that might be it. "Oh, is that right…?" she said flatly, looking back out the window again.

Madame Red was too excited to notice her daughter's lack of interest. "Oh, Lucy, I'm so happy for you! Imagine, my little girl, a blushing bride to a nobleman! Now, the only question is when he'll ask…should I arrange a meeting for you two?"

"Mother…"

"I'll have Frances loan me a few servants and cook up an extravagant meal for you two, and you probably need a new dress…blue, maybe, that'll give you a nice contrast with Lord Druitt's white clothes…"

"Mother…"

"A nice romantic walk in the gardens will do the trick, that's how your father proposed to me…I'll have to ask Grell to trim the hedges and prune the roses…"

"Mother…"

"Of course, I'll remind him to trim them in the shape of something _other _than skulls, I doubt Lord Druitt would find them very _romantic_ –"

"_Mother_!" Lucy interrupted firmly, blushing a bit at her force. Madame Red blinked at her, surprised. "I appreciate the thought, I really do, but it isn't necessary. Even if Lord Chambers _does_ propose to me (and I doubt he will), I will most likely say 'no'."

Madame Red couldn't have looked more surprised if Lucy had just declared herself to be pregnant. "W-What? You _won't _marry the Viscount Druitt?"

"No, Mother. I will not."

"B-B-But why ever not?"

"I do not like him, Mother," Lucy answered simply, embarrassed by her upfront attitude.

Madame Red stared unabashedly at her. "Don't _like_ him? Why not? What's the matter with him? He's rich, he's higher in peerage, he's handsome…"

"But Mother," Lucy began timidly, "_you_ surely must have heard the rumors." Madame Red said nothing – an affirmation. "Lord Chambers is a…a _womanizer_. He'll flirt with any woman, even someone like me. In fact, even while we were dancing at the last ball, he was looking at other women. I saw it, Mother."

"I saw it, too, darling, but he wasn't looking at women – he was looking _away_ from _you_! He's a shy man, you see; he was probably too love struck to look you in the eye! Isn't that sweet?"

Yes, of course. The Viscount of Druitt was many things (most of which could not be said in polite conversation), but _shy_ was not one of them. "What about the other rumors?" Lucy persisted. "You told me that you've heard of secret, occult parties Lord Chambers hosts in his basement…"

"Aren't you always telling me not to put any stock in rumors?" Madame Red pointed out sweetly, dodging the question.

Lucy sighed again. This was getting nowhere. "Yes, I suppose you're right, but it doesn't change my mind."

"But _why_, Lucy? What is so wrong with marrying the Viscount of Druitt?"

_Everything_.

"He's such a warm, bright, happy ma –" She stopped short, and a mischievous grin spread slowly across her face. "Ohhh, I see," she said triumphantly, her eyes twinkling. "You don't want to marry Lord Druitt because you prefer your men to be…_darker_."

Lucy slowly looked back at her, a cautious look on her face. "What do you mean?"

Madame Red went on as if she hadn't heard. "Yes, a _dark_ man would be perfect for you. And he'd have to be older than you…"

Lucy's eyes widened in realization. "Mother…?"

"…a true gentleman…"

She wasn't.

"…handsome…"

She _was_.

"…and _very _skilled with his hands!"

"Mother, stop it!" Lucy gasped. Her entire face had turned beet-red. "It's not like that, all right? There's nothing going on between us. Please don't say things like that." She turned away pointedly, hands clasped in her lap and face still aflame.

Madame Red laughed. "Oh, lighten up, dearie, I was only kidding. There's no reason to get so upset."

"I would prefer if you didn't tease me about him," Lucy said simply, firmly focusing out the window. A mother deer and her two fawns were watching the carriage from the line of trees with some interest.

"Oh, darling, I understand completely. He's a _very _good-looking man; I've admired him myself." Lucy's hand twitched, but she said nothing. "It's perfectly natural," the Madame continued, "for a girl your age to have little crushes."

Little crush? _Little crush_? How could she downplay it so? He was the only reason she gave any thought to superficial things like clothes and hair. He was the reason why she laid awake, tossing and turning, every night. He was what motivated her to get out of bed after a long sickness. If that was a "_little crush_," then what was it like to be in love?

Madame Red frowned sagely, unaware of the distress she had given her adopted daughter. "But remember, dear – he _is _a butler."

Lucy couldn't keep quiet anymore. "And what," she blurted out, "does that have to do with anything?"

"Well, Lucy, he's of a lower social class. I want you to marry someone of a _higher _class – you'll be happier that way."

"I've never once thought of marrying him," Lucy fibbed, getting a little flustered. "Now please, _please_ stop talking about marriage, Mada – Mother. I don't feel well enough for it right now."

"All right, all right, I'll stop. Just let me say one more thing, okay?" Lucy didn't answer, which the Madame took as a sign to continue. "I'm only hounding you about this because you're seventeen now, dear, and it's high time for you to start considering it yourself. If you put off courtship for too long, your chances of getting married will get slimmer and slimmer. You have to hook 'em _now_, Lucy, before your age outweighs your beauty."

That tore it. "Beauty?" Lucy echoed numbly. Her voice and exterior were as calm as always, but a storm was raging inside of her. "_Beauty_? Mother, I am not beautiful."

Madame Red blinked quizzically at her, quite taken aback. "What do you mean? Of _course_ you're beautfi –"

"No, Mother, I'm not. I am short, scrawny, and flat. My hair is thin and limp, and I look gaudy in even ordinary dresses. My skin is too pale and my eyes are too muddy. I can't remember anything before I was eleven, and because of that, everyone pities me and looks down on me. I say too little and fall ill too often. No man will ever want me, not Sebastian, not the Viscount Druitt. I don't even know why he's chasing after me now. I'm _nothing_ compared to all the other women. There's nothing I can do about it, either, so I don't let it bother me in the least." Even so, she was beginning to feel that hot, prickly sensation behind her eyes that signified coming tears.

"Oh, darling," Madame Red breathed. She reached across the narrow space and took her daughter's hand. "None of that is true at all. Just because you look different doesn't mean you aren't beautiful." Lucy said nothing, but she started sniffling a little. Madame Red passed her a handkerchief. "You know, dear, I've never told you this story, but I was there the day you were born."

Lucy's head shot up, her watery eyes as wide as billiard balls. "Y-Y-You were?" she stammered. "Then you…y-you knew my m-mother? My r-r-real one?"

The Madame nodded. "That's right. When I was about ten, I was visiting Auntie Rachel in the hospital, but I wandered off and got lost. I opened the door I thought was my sister's room, but instead, I saw a gypsy woman lying on the bed in labor. I started to leave, but she called me back in. She told me that the doctors were too busy to help her and asked if I'd help pass the time until someone came for her. Even during her contractions, she was smiling and being friendly. I talked with her for hours about every little thing, and she listened so attentively. The doctor finally came late in the evening, just in time to deliver you." She smiled kindly. "And the look on that gypsy woman's face when I handed you to her…that's why I wanted to become a doctor."

Lucy stared up at her, trying to keep her composure. "My mother was…a gypsy?"

"Yes, and a very, very beautiful one. A deep tan, wide dark eyes, a lovely smile, and, oh, her hair…I was so jealous of her shiny black hair. And you know something? She never mentioned your father, but I could tell he must have been just as lovely."

"Why do you say that?"

Madame Red squeezed her hand. "Because you were the most beautiful, beautiful baby I'd ever seen. And I still think so today." Lucy didn't answer, but that was what got the tears finally falling. "You're not ugly at all, dear. You're just a late bloomer, that's all. Your beauty is deep, deep down inside of you. I can see that, and I think the Viscount Druitt does, too. I'd be willing to bet all of next year's pay that he loves you because of what he sees on the inside, not just the outside – and isn't that what you want, dear?"

"I-I do want that," Lucy whispered, wiping her eyes. "But I…I want to love _him_, too. I don't care what class my husband is from, or how rich or handsome he is. I just want us to love each other. And I…I don't love Lord Chambers. I _can't_."

"I know, dear, I know," Madame Red soothed, squeezing her hand again. "I'm sorry for bringing him up. I won't mention him again today." She paused. "So, does this mean you _are_ in love with Sebastian?"

Lucy's face contorted in shock. "_Mother_!"

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding! Just relieving the tension a little – oh, speak of the devil, here he comes now!" the Madame added cheerily, looking out the window.

Lucy froze in place. "Wh-What?" She followed her mother's gaze – apparently sometime during their exchange, the carriage had pulled up to the front entrance of the stately, opulent Phantomhive manor. She could see Finny, the house gardener, waving excitedly at the carriage by a group of half-trimmed hedges, clippers in hand. And coming briskly down the walkway, a polite smile coloring his pale face…

It was _him_.

The crisp, proper black suit…a mop of tousled-yet-trim hair the color of the midnight sky…that cool, crooked smile masking his true thoughts…those orangey-brown eyes bringing color to his monochromatic appearance…yes, this was it. This was the main reason why marrying the Viscount Druitt seemed like such a nauseating idea.

Sebastian Michaelis, butler of the Phantomhive family.

"Oh, no," Lucy whimpered, her face turning red once again. She couldn't let Sebastian see her tear-stained face – how embarrassing! "Mother, d-do I look all right?"

Madame Red raised an eyebrow teasingly. "Oh? I thought you didn't care about how you look."

"I…I don't, but…oh, Mother, I c-can't –"

"Kidding again! You look just fine, dear, I promise."

"Y-yes, all right," Lucy stammered disbelievingly, taking a deep breath. _Here it comes_…

The door of the carriage smoothly opened to reveal Sebastian's reserved smile. "Why, good morning, Madame Red, Lady Luciana," he greeted courteously, his eyes shining mysteriously.

"Good morning, Sebastian," the Madame greeted brightly, winking slyly at her daughter.

"G-Good morning," Lucy echoed shyly, staring at her lap. She didn't trust herself to look right in his eyes.

"We have eagerly been awaiting your arrival, My Lady Luciana," Sebastian told her, holding out a hand. "Welcome to the Phantomhive manor."

Lucy took his hand and cautiously exited the carriage, hoping she wouldn't have another attack. "Thank you, Sebastian. And, erm…how often m-must I ask you to call me Lucy?" She hoped that didn't sound too pushy…

Sebastian merely smiled. "At least once more, My Lady, as always." He let released his gentle grip on Lucy's hand and turned to Madame Red. "Shall we be expecting you for tonight's dinner, Madame?"

Madame Red sighed wistfully. "Not tonight, I'm afraid. I'm working two extra shifts today, and we've got three women coming in to terminate their pregnancies –" Lucy gave a rather violent twitch. "– so I don't think I'll be picking her up until late. But you don't mind, do you, Sebastian?" She grinned sweetly.

"Certainly not." He bowed slightly in Lucy's direction. "It is, as always, a pleasure to serve My Lord's dear cousin."

Was it possible to die from blushing too hard? To have the blood vessels in your cheeks to explode from heat? Lucy hoped not. She'd make a horrible mess.

"Well, all right, then!" the Madame replied. "Have a good day, Lucy, and don't overdo it! You don't want to be getting sick again, do you?"

"No, Mother. Have a good day at work."

"Thanks, darling!" She poked her head out of the carriage window to call up to Grell, who was driving. "Let's be off, Grell!" Grell nodded stiffly and snapped the reigns, looking a bit pink in the face himself (intimidated by Sebastian, maybe?). Sebastian cleanly shut the door, and the carriage rattled off down the road.

The young butler turned back to Lucy and held out his arm. "Shall we, Lady Luciana?"

Lucy hesitantly linked his arm with his. "Y-Yes, let's." The two slowly set off up the walkway – Lucy supposed this pace was for the benefit of her health.

"I trust My Lady's health has improved?" Sebastian asked politely.

"Hmm? Oh…y-yes, somewhat. I-I'm much better than I was the last time I was here, but Madame Red told me to take it easy today."

"As is right," Sebastian agreed, nodding once. "The Young Master will be devastated should you fall ill. If it pleases you, Lady Luciana, please relax and enjoy yourself, and allow myself and all the Phantomhive servants to care for you."

Somehow, Lucy wasn't sure "devastated" was the right word, but it was a nice thought. "Th-Thank you, Sebastian. I really am grateful for your kindness, but you really d-don't have to cater to me. I'm sure you have much more important –"

"LADY LUUUUUUCYYYY!"

Lucy jumped at the exclamation. Finny was running towards them, still holding onto his hedge clippers. "Good morning, Finny!" she called out, grateful for the distraction.

"LADY LUUCYYY!" Finny shouted again, waving an arm. "ARE YOU FEELING BETT – AAH!" Time seemed to slow as Finny tripped over his own feet and toppled over, sending the clippers flying out of his hand. Lucy briefly saw her own horrified expression reflected in the polished iron as the clippers rocketed toward her…

And in an instant, they stopped, mere inches from her face. Sebastian had reached out and grabbed the clippers, holding the motionless blades between two fingers. The scene was frozen for what seemed like an eternity – Finny sprawled on the ground, the clippers at a standstill, Sebastian's face looking both determined and extremely irritated, Lucy's foot hovering above the ground, paused in mid-step – before Lucy whimpered softly and fell to her knees, her heart hammering against her rib cage.

"My Lady!" Sebastian gasped, kneeling down beside her. The clippers fell to the ground and clattered into the dust.

"I…I'm fine," Lucy whispered, breathing hard. She knew that she had just barely escaped almost certain death, but she felt strangely calm. It was as though her insides had turned to ice, they had been so frozen in terror. "Th-Thank you, S-Sebastian…you j-just saved me…but…how in the world d-did you _do _that?"

Sebastian blinked. "Whatever do you mean, Lady Luciana?"

"Y-You know…y-you just grabbed the c-clippers out of thin air, and…" She looked down at Sebastian's hand. "…y-you're not hurt at all!"

Sebastian merely smiled. "I am the butler of the Phantomhive family. It goes without saying that I can do something as trivial as this."

"T-Trivial…?" Did he mean grabbing the clippers, or saving her life? Either way, she was completely bowled over.

"_Lady Lucy_!" Finny had by this time scrambled to his feet and closed the distance between them. He threw his arms around Lucy in a bone-crushing bear hug, tears streaming down his cheeks. "I'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorry_I'msorryyyyyyy_!"

"Augh…can't breathe…Finny…" Lucy choked out, her eyes bulging slightly.

In one swift, fluid motion, Sebastian straightened up and pulled Finny away by the collar of his oversized white shirt. "That's quite enough of _that_, Finnian. You are ruining Lady Luciana's dress."

Finny started crying harder. "WAAH, LUCY, I'M SO SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN IT, REALLY I DIDN'T! PLEASE DON'T BE MAD! IT WAS AN ACCIDENT, I'D NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, HURT YOU, BUT THEN AGAIN, I'D UNDERSTAND IF YOU HATED ME, I'D HATE ME TOOOO~!"

"C-Calm down, Finny, please!" Lucy yelled over his sobs. "I'm not mad at all! It was only an accident, I know! Please stop crying! I don't hate you at all!"

"Y…You don't?" Finny sniveled, hiccupping.

"No, of course not," Lucy affirmed, smiling wanly. She reached up and grabbed his hand. "How could I ever hate you?" Finny gave her a watery smile.

"How compassionate of you, My Lady," Sebastian observed, smiling kindly. The kindness evaporated in an instant, however, as he turned to look at Finny; now his smile was icy and almost cruel-looking. "Unfortunately, Finnian, _I_ am not so quick to forgive such a heinous wrong done to our most honored guest. And I believe I have reminded you on multiple occasions not to run about while holding hedge clippers?"

"Eep! Y-Y-Yes…!" Finny squeaked, looking terrified.

"Excellent. We shall discuss your punishment later. Now, why don't you go and the weed the gardens before you do any _more _damage to our guest?"

"Y-Yes, sir!" Finny yelped. He quickly scurried away to the back of the house.

Sebastian sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Honestly…not a day goes by without some disaster at the hand of that imbecilic gardener…"

"I-I'm sure didn't mean it, Sebastian," Lucy piped up mildly.

He smiled thinly. "Of course he didn't mean to, Lady Luciana. Sadly, a crime committed in ignorance is nonetheless a crime." Seeing that he was beginning to further disturb his charge, he placed a hand over his heart and bowed low. "In any case, My Lady, you have my deepest and most sincere apologies. An unforgiveable blunder has been committed by the Phantomhive staff, of which I am the head. How can I ever atone for such a dreadful mistake?"

"It's…i-it's fine, Sebastian, really," Lucy stammered, a bit overwhelmed. "I-I'm not hurt, s-so there's no harm done, right? J-Just…just have Finny be more careful from now on." She struggled to her feet. She swayed a bit and started to fall…

…right into Sebastian's arms.

"Dear me, you're in worse condition than I imagined," Sebastian murmured looking down at her worriedly. "You must get inside and rest straightaway. Please allow me to assist you, My Lady."

Lucy had barely heard him. She was too focused on the fact that she was _in Sebastian's arms_. She was pretty sure her whole body was red, now. This could not get any more embarrassing…

Unfortunately for her, it could. Sebastian bent down slightly and tucked his arm underneath the crooks of her knees, so that when he straightened up again, he was carrying her (gasp)…_bridal style_.

"S-S-S-S-Sebastian!" she sputtered, her head reeling. _Oh, my…_

Sebastian chuckled quietly. "Shall we be off, Lady Luciana?" He smoothly crossed the distance to the ornate front door.

No sooner had they reached the threshold than was the door opened by Mr. Tanaka, the diminutive, elderly, tea-sipping steward of the Phantomhive family. The old man took one look one look at the pair, gave his trademark chuckle ("Ho, ho, ho."), and allowed them to enter. Lucy doubted the chuckle was because of her current predicament – it was all the old steward ever said – but she was nevertheless dying inside. _This cannot possibly get any more embarrassing_…

"Sebastian? What on _earth_ are you doing?"

Wrong again.

Lucy looked shyly down at her little cousin, now beyond embarrassment. Ciel wasn't taking it any better than she was; his body language was annoyed and authoritative, and his one good eye looked stern.

Sebastian inclined his head towards the pre-teen Earl. "As you can see, Young Master, Lady Luciana has arrived. Regrettably, there was a bit of an accident prior to us reaching the manor."

Ciel raised an eyebrow? "'Accident?' What do you mean, 'accident?' Are you ill again, Cousin?"

"N-No, Cousin Ciel," Lucy murmured, avoiding her relative's steely eye. "I'm not hurt, or anything. Finny just got a bit too excited, and, er…l-lost control of his hedge clippers."

Ciel's eye widened slightly, but his mouth was still set in a disapproving frown. "He _threw_ them at you?"

"N-Not quite 'thrown,' exactly…" Lucy muttered.

Ciel sighed exasperatedly. "That idiot…Sebastian, deal with him later."

"Very good, My Lord."

"And put her down, if she's not hurt. You look like a walking tabloid article."

"Understood, My Lord." Sebastian gently lowered Lucy to the ground, allowing Lucy's heartbeat to return to somewhat of a normal pace.

Now that the excitement was out of the way, the usual routine could begin. Lucy bent forward slightly so that Ciel could peck both of her cheeks. It was, on the surface, an affectionate family gesture, but Lucy was no fool – she realized that Ciel was only keeping up appearances, that he had no intention of getting that close to anybody. She felt a wave of regret at the thought.

Unlike the rest of the Phantomhive-Durless clan, Lucy had been accepted by and bonded with the Earl Phantomhive and his family almost instantly. She had always felt so at ease with them, almost like they were her real blood relations. Of these bonds, none had been stronger than the one between her and Ciel. When the Durless carriage had come rattling up the road, little Ciel would eagerly run out to give his new cousin a big hug and a kiss. He'd never leave her side during her visit, and he'd never quit smiling. She'd heard once from Madame Red that Ciel had actually started crying from disappointment when she had been too sick to visit. Her time with the Young Master and his parents had been, admittedly, the happiest of her new life.

But now, almost three years later…that smile was gone. Ciel's eyes weren't filled with love-struck tears, but with a distant bitterness that made him seem a hundred years old. The happy-go-lucky, carefree child had morphed into an impersonal, stiffly-formal adult in a pre-teen's body. And honestly, who could blame him? His past was almost as colorful and tragic as Lucy's own. She wasn't sure what happened after the fire – after the _abduction_ – that had transformed Ciel so, but she longed to find out. She wanted to help this boy whom she thought of as family however she could.

"Did Madame Red say when she'd be back?" Ciel asked, breaking her out of her reverie.

"Er…not till late." She curtsied apologetically. "I'm very sorry for the trouble."

"It's fine," Ciel replied, waving a hand dismissively. "Unfortunately, I am busy with the company today, and I will be entertaining guests this evening, so I will not be able to keep you company."

"That's all right," Lucy assured him. "Please don't let me interrupt you." Once again, she was impressed – it was remarkable how a boy his age and with so much trauma had been able to not only take over his father's company and earldom, but make them both thrive. She doubted that she, even without the memory of her ordeal, could do the same.

"All right, then. I'll do my best to join you for lunch. If you need anything at all, alert one of the servants…" He smiled wryly. "Although, for the sake of your physical and mental well-being, I suggest you inform Sebastian."

Lucy smiled weakly. "I will. Thank you, Cousin Ciel."

"Don't mention it. Well, then, good morning." With that, he turned on his heel and started up the grand staircase towards his study, pausing only to glare at the portrait of his parents hanging on the landing.

Lucy followed his gaze, but hers was one of sadness. _Uncle Vincent…Aunt Rachel…what would Ciel have been like if you were still here…?_

"Well then, My Lady," Sebastian interjected courteously. "Shall I escort you to the library?"

"Hmm…? Oh, yes, thank you." She turned and followed Sebastian down the hall.

And she wondered, not for the first time, if it had been her fault the Phantomhives had been struck with such misery, as though she'd cursed the gentle house with her very presence.

* * *

Whenever I type Lucy's speech, the little voice in my head starts speaking in a British accent...

I can haz reviewz?


	3. Chapter 2: That Girl, in the Afternoon

**Happy Holidays! After a near all-nighter, I managed to get up Ch.2 in time for Christmas! A word of advice: never play FFVII Crisis Core when you have a deadline. That thing is ADDICTING.**

**Thanks to all my readers and reviewers, and I hope you enjoy your present! :)**

Kuroshitsuji / Black Butler © Yana Toboso, Square Enix, A-1 Pictures, Yen Press, and FUNimation Entertainment. The following is a fan-made story written for entertainment purposes only. No profits are being made. Please support the official release.

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"Here we are, My Lady," Sebastian announced, pushing open the door. "Welcome to the Phantomhive library."

"Th-Thank you, Sebastian," Lucy murmured, averting her eyes embarrassedly. "But, er, you d-don't have to welcome me – I-I'm here every day, so…"

Sebastian chuckled softly. "And yet our hospitality and pleasure of serving you, Lady Luciana, is renewed and revitalized with each sunrise."

"O-Oh…" Lucy wasn't sure how to respond to that, so she simply walked into one of her favorite rooms in the Phantomhive household.

As a busy nobleman and company president, Ciel had no time to entertain his cousin, and Lucy understood and was perfectly okay with that. Still, long hours alone in someone else's house were good fodder for boredom, so she would spend most of her day in the well-stocked, extensive Phantomhive library. There were rows and rows of books on every imaginable subject; in the six years of her coming here, she doubted she'd even scratched the surface of the vast amount of knowledge contained in this one little room. This was advantageous to Lucy, not just for entertainment, but for education. She did receive formal lessons, but as a young woman, her topics of study were mostly superficial things revolving around social gatherings and courtship, such as etiquette, dancing, music, and art. If she wanted to learn the good stuff, the things her cousin was learning every day – history, science, mathematics, and the like – she'd have to teach herself, with the help of the books. It was an enjoyable experience, too; even now, running her fingers along the time-honored shelves, she felt a thrill of wonder about what could be printed within.

"Is there a specific subject you wish to read about today?" Sebastian asked, following her into the room. "Shall I assist you in choosing a book?"

"Oh, no, thank you, Sebastian," Lucy began. "I usually just read the first thing I – wait…" She paused, replaying the events of the morning in her mind. A decisive, determined look came over her. "Actually, Sebastian…d-do you know if this library has any books on…g-gypsies?"

"Gypsies, My Lady?" Sebastian echoed, his body tense in anticipation of a request. "Yes, I believe there are a few on the back wall concerning Roma history and culture…but if I may be so bold as to ask, Lady Luciana, why do wish to study that particular topic?"

Lucy felt a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach, as though someone had lit a candle in there and the heat was rising up throughout her entire body. "I…well, er, Madame Red and I were talking, and…she mentioned my mother. M-My real one."

Something flashed briefly in Sebastian's eyes. "Ah…"

"She…she said she actually _met_ my mother once," Lucy went on, wringing her hands anxiously. "She was there when I was born…I d-don't know why she never said anything, but…she said my mother was a gypsy. I was thinking, maybe…I-I know I haven't been able to remember anything about my past since Madame Red adopted me, but…if I saw a picture…"

"I see," Sebastian replied in understanding. "You believe that exposing yourself to a certain stimulus related to your birth mother will trigger a memory of her." Lucy nodded slightly. "A most excellent undertaking, Lady Luciana, and one in which I hope for your success. If there is anything at all I can do to help, please do not hesitate to inform me."

"Thank you very much, Sebastian," Lucy responded, blushing a little. "But I think…I think this is something I need to do on my own."

"I see. Well then, I wish you the very best of luck, My Lady. I imagine the incident on the front walk has already exhausted you; allow me to fix you a cup of tea to calm your nerves."

"That sounds wonderful, Sebastian, thank you." Despite her age and slim stature, Lucy had consumed food and drink from all across the country and even abroad, but not once had she tasted anything more delicious than something prepared by Sebastian (although, perhaps, that might have been because of her own feelings…the idea squeezed her heart). Sebastian bowed and exited, shutting the door behind him with a soft _click_.

Left alone, Lucy made her way to the specified shelf and looked critically at each book. She finally spotted _Gypsy: A Complete History of the Roma Civilization_ and pulled it off the shelf, staggering a bit under its weight. Feeling the candle's fire grow, she placed the book on a nearby desk, and opened it. She started flipping pages mindlessly, paying little attention to what was written – the pictures were the important parts. She carefully observed a long caravan of travelers, a few maps of Europe and Asia, and various illustrations of discrimination and violence by lighter-skinned people (she couldn't look at these for very long without feeling ill).

Finally, she came to a picture of a beautiful young woman in exotic clothing, playing a tambourine and singing. Lucy focused her entire attention on it, searching for the smallest thing that might spark a recollection. _Think, Lucy, think…my mother…she gave birth to me…she raised me for eleven years…she died in the fire that destroyed my home…she gave birth to me in the Royal London Hospital, and Madame Red was there with her…she was friendly and a good listener…she had dark skin and eyes…thick hair…a nice smile…come on…come _on_, Lucy…_Once more, she began fighting her way through the fog, willing the barrier in her mind to recede. She reached out a hand as if to grasp the memory firmly, never to let it go…

It happened so fast that she hardly believed it wasn't her imagination. One moment, she was looking at the picture of the Roma woman, fists clenched, straining her faulty memory…and the next, the chair had toppled over and she was crumpled on the floor, head pounding, clutching her chest and crying out in pain. The candle had been snuffed out by this raw, bloody pain…whatever hope she had was lost, and she lay writhing on the floor, rendered unable to move by the agony.

And yet there was that one thing, that one split-second thought, that faint picture…

She was suddenly aware of a pair of arms lifting her head, and of Sebastian's concerned gaze somewhere above her. "Lady Luciana! What has happened here?"

"S…S-Sebastian…" she choked out, feeling the burning in her chest start to recede. She reached out a trembling a hand.

Sebastian took her hand tightly in his. "What is it, My Lady?"

"I…I…" She licked her dry lips. "_I saw it, Sebastian_."

"Saw what, My Lady?" Sebastian asked gently. There was a strange look in his eyes.

"_I saw my mother's…face…_"

* * *

Yes, for one brief, shining moment, the fog thinned slightly and the face of a woman shone through, bright and unhindered by the barrier within her mind. There was only the face, and only for a second – no emotion, no flash of remembrance, no nothing. It was like looking for the first time at a picture of some foreign object and having no thought or feeling about it. Lucy wasn't even sure if it was even her mother's face that she had seen, instead of some random woman from her past, or even a figment of her imagination. This latter was the most likely; perhaps it had been a mere hallucination, brought on by sickness and desperation.

But no…Lucy didn't believe that. She _couldn't_ believe that. If it had been truly nothing, and she was still wandering in complete darkness, she wouldn't be able to bear it. So, for the time being, she forced herself to throw away logic and believe the face was real.

Even though she couldn't be sure, it was most likely her mother's face. That had been whom she had been searching for through the fog, after all. And wouldn't a parent, who had loved her and raised her, and who had (probably) been one of the most important aspects of her childhood, have the strongest hidden memories, and therefore the first to be seen? Besides, the face exactly matched that of Madame Red's description: young, beautiful, and possessing dark skin, hair, and eyes, and the most wonderful smile. It had been warm and bright, stretching from ear to ear, and seemed to contain all the love and encouragement in the world. Of course a mother would have a face like that. Of course…

Lucy shook herself, forcibly rousing herself from her reverie. She had to stop obsessing over this; yes, it was a very,_ very_ big deal, but it wasn't healthy to brood over it for too long all at once. She hadn't done anything productive today because of it – she hadn't kept up with her lessons, or read any good books, or spoken a word to her friends, the servants. She had even declined lunch with her cousin. She had to focus on something else…and of course, the most obvious choices were the occupants of her location, where she had been musing all day: the Phantomhive stables.

Lucy loved horses; besides dogs, they were her favorite animals. She loved everything about them, from riding to care to training. The feeling was apparently mutual, for she had never met a horse she hadn't been able to befriend. The Durless house had no stables (they had to rent a carriage every time they wanted to go anywhere – something Madame Red found socially humiliating, but they hadn't the money or the space for horses), so Lucy made it a point to frequent the stables almost as often as the library, feeding her adoration of the great beasts.

In contrast, Ciel wasn't all that fond of horses, or animals in general, for that matter (another consequence of the abduction; he'd had a pet dog in the past whom he had coddled greatly). Still, he kept a large, full, handsome stable befitting a noble of his status. There were six horses in all: four chestnut geldings employed to pull carriages (Rook, Bishop, Prince Albert, and Napoleon), a little white mare usually rode by Elizabeth or Marchioness Middleford (Snowball – named by Cousin Lizzie), and El Diablo.

El Diablo was in a class by himself. He was a large, powerful stallion with a gorgeous blue-black coat and a temperament like the devil (hence the name). He had been purchased by Sebastian a year ago as a race horse and Ciel's personal mount, but he had so far been proven untamable. He had seriously injured the physical body, willful psyche, or both of ten bronco busters and trainers, and had nearly killed eight more. Diablo was equally ferocious to familiars; he would barely let Finny near enough to brush him and clean his stable, and always performed a misbehavior so frightening that the poor gardener would flee in tears. He was mean, nasty, and downright deadly, and Ciel hated him with a passion. But he was wickedly fast and beautiful, and the young lord refused to give up until he made a proper race horse of that hell horse.

That, at least, was part of it; the other, secretly larger part was that Lucy had begged him to let Diablo stay. The two had fallen in love at first sight, and now the erstwhile future-Baroness was the only one the wild stallion would let near him. As a result, the duties of daily care, exercise, and training fell upon Lucy. To see Diablo with Lucy astride him was truly a marvelous sight; the devil horse would become as calm, obedient, and loving as the sweetest foal. Even now, pent up in his stall with Lucy seated nearby on a little stool, he would snort good-naturedly and occasionally nudge her shoulder affectionately, receiving a loving pat in return.

Lucy sighed deeply, running her fingers through the horse's thick mane. Try as she might, she just couldn't forget about the face. "What do you think, Diablo?" she murmured, stroking the animal's coat. "Could it really have been my mother I saw? After all this time, was it truly that easy?"

Diablo only blinked his red-brown eyes at her and snorted cheerfully in her face. "Urgh," she groaned, wiping her face. "All right, all right, I'll stop thinking about it. There are plenty of other things to think about anyway…" _But what?_

Her wandering thoughts turned, as they so often did, to the handsome butler of the Phantomhive household. Sebastian…he was always so kind to her, even when she had done nothing to deserve it. In fact, considering Madame Red's dumping her here every day and Ciel's borderline indifference, he was one of the only people she knew who genuinely seemed to care about her. He was wonderful…

And yet…

Lucy suddenly recalled an awful train of thought that she had come upon in her sickbed one day. Sebastian was, by all accounts, the perfect servant. He was humble and obedient, if occasionally a little condescending towards his young master (and one could only notice that if they were paying _extremely_ close attention). He could perform any task ordered of him with impressive skill, and he had a million and one talents, the majority of which Lucy doubted she'd even seen yet. Talented, kind, and handsome…in short, the all-around perfect man. But…

It wasn't that Lucy found anything _wrong_ with his perfection; on the contrary, she adored him for it. But all the same, his natural talent for pretty much everything unnerved her slightly. It was so strange how he seemingly had everything. All of his tasks were performed with a style and grace that seemed almost…_inhuman_. He seemed just too good to be true…to be real…even to be human…

As before, Lucy recoiled from the idea. It was already a terrible thought, but to be lingered over by an admirer made it downright disgusting. _There is absolutely nothing wrong with Sebastian. He is a wonderful man who just happens to be extraordinarily blessed, that's all. I refuse to think such horrible thoughts anymore. _Not thinking about her forgotten past or her love interest…that left few options for a teenage amnesiac.

Lucy was spared with inventing a topic by a sudden, ear-shattering din consisting of (from what she could pick out) a crash, a bang, some sort of explosion, a cacophony of screams, and a string of curses that would make a sailor uncomfortable. Lucy jumped off of the stool in surprise as all six horses reared and whinnied with terror and (in Diablo's case) fury. Lucy hovered in frightened indecision for a moment before recalling Sebastian's words: _The Young Master unfortunately has many enemies though his line of work, many of whom are quite mentally unstable. An attack on the mansion would not be surprising; if that unhappy occurrence should ever take place, Lady Luciana, you are to hide yourself and stay completely still until I come to fetch you. _Remembering her agreement, she ducked behind a pile of hay and waited, pale and trembling.

Five minutes of silence past…ten…twenty…the horses had by this time calmed down, so did that mean there were no strangers in the mansion? Lucy trusted Diablo's instincts, but the last thing she wanted to do was disobey Sebastian…she waited five more minutes before cautiously getting up and exiting the stable, ready to run at the slightest hint of movement.

She wasn't sure what she was expecting – an army of vengeful factory workers, maybe, or perhaps a multitude bodies strewn about the ground – but it definitely wasn't what she was seeing. The extravagant, rich gardens had been stripped of their greenery, leaving nothing but twigs and branches behind. The grass had withered away, revealing wide, deep grass in the parched earth. Everything, from the tiniest rose to the grandest oak tree, was gone. This miserable scene was more like a desert wasteland than a nobleman's yard.

Lucy could only stare dumbly at the lifeless land before her, mouth slightly agape in wonder. _What…what on Earth happened here? _The gardens had been as lush and green as ever when she had entered the stables, and now they were completely ruined. A harsh realization struck her – what was Ciel's dinner guest going to think when he saw this mess? The Phantomhive name would be ruined, and all that effort Ciel had undertook to have England take him seriously would have been put to waste…how could Finny have let this happen?

"Finny…"

Her heart sank. Had Finny been the one to destroy the garden…_again_? Was the fault for this horrendous screw-up his, so soon after this morning's nightmare? Lucy sighed heavily and passed a hand over her eyes. "Poor Finny…he must be absolutely devastated…" Terrified, more like it; like the other servants (excluding old Mr. Tanaka), Finny had a strong fear of Sebastian's unholy wrath. He was probably cowering in a broom closet indoors, sobbing enough tears to flood the Thames. Poor boy. She'd better go and look for him. She had to get her story straight before she broke the news to Sebastian…she shivered a little at the thought. Sebastian never got _angry_, but his cold smile and fiery eyes were a thousand times worse than any screaming fit. Shuddering again, Lucy set out across the barren "gardens," tripping a little on the cracks.

She had made it halfway to the door when she saw the second disaster. Thick, black smoke was pouring out of the open kitchen window, reeking of spice and gunpowder. Straining her ears, Lucy could faintly catch the mixture of hacking coughs and violent swearing that could make a sailor uncomfortable. She recognized the heavy American accent immediately. "Oh, Mr. Bard, not again," she sighed, shaking her head sadly. The cook had obviously not yet realized that tools of war did not constitute as cooking utensils. "You think he might have learned to be careful by now, after so many burnt dishes," she muttered (not unkindly), ascending the steps to the door. Well, Bard was as resilient as a rhinoceros, so she doubted he was hurt, but she resolved to check on him anyway, just to be safe. Perhaps he would know where Finny was hiding. _I certainly hope that wasn't tonight's dinner he burned…that would be another thing Sebastian would have to fix…but for both Mr. Bard and Finny to make mistakes at exactly the same time…oh, I hope Maylene is all right…_

But she was disappointed almost immediately upon opening the door. Sprawled out into the hallway over the threshold of the tea room were the remains of a once-towering cupboard and a tea set. Lucy rushed over to the shattered home goods and examined them carefully, checking for survivors. These were undoubtedly the shards of Ciel's finest tea set, used strictly for very important guests. No doubt Sebastian had been planning to use it at tonight's dinner. This had "clumsy maid of Phantomhive house" written all over it.

Once again, the Phantomhive servants had displayed their talent of simultaneously annihilating their corners of the mansion. This would normally be slightly worrisome and somewhat amusing (in a cruel way), but with a guest arriving in only a few hours and no garden, tea, or dinner prepared, Ciel's social and business status would plummet. She could only imagine how he would take the news.

Lucy examined the fallen cupboard more carefully. Thankfully, Maylene was not crushed beneath the cupboard, nor did she seem to be cowering in the tea room. Most likely, she and the others had retreated to the darkest recesses of the kitchen, their normal hiding place after royally screwing up. Remembering her earlier task of checking on Bard, she rushed down the hallway towards the servant's quarters, pulling a handkerchief out of her sleeve – the smell of smoke was getting worse and worse.

Before long, she had reached the kitchen, handkerchief pressed firmly against her nose and mouth. She pressed her ear against the charred door and could faintly make out frantic whispering. _Aha_. "Mr. Bard?" she called out, knocking lightly on the door. "Maylene? Finny? Are you in there?"

There was no reply, but she hadn't been expecting one anyway. She pictured them huddled in a corner, praying that Sebastian wouldn't find them, or at least have mercy on their immortal souls. Well, there was no time to keep knocking, so Lucy, guiltily conscious of her fall in manners, opened in door and put the poor wretches out of their misery.

She was immediately greeted by a cloud of smoke to the face and a symphony of wails. "WAAH! WE'RE SO SORRY, SEBASTIAN, WE DIDN'T MEAN IT, PLEASE DON'T HURT US, IT WAS AN ACCIDENT, WAAAH~!"

"E-Everyone, pl-please calm down!" Lucy shouted meekly over their crying. "It's only me, Lucy! Don't cry!" She waved some of the smoke away with her hand.

The smoke cleared slightly, and Lucy squinted through its remains at the three servants cowering in a corner, Finny and Maylene crying and a puffy-haired Bard shakily brandishing a frying pan. "L-L-Lady Lucy?" Maylene stammered, adjusting her cracked glasses. "I-Is that you, yes?" Bard lowered his weapon, and Finny gave her an uncertain, teary-eyed look.

"Yes, it's me," Lucy replied, stepping into the room. Glancing over at the long table on which meals were prepared, she saw that the entire surface and everything on it, most likely including the night's dinner, had been charred and burnt away beyond recognition. "What in the world happened here? Th-The garden, the tea set, the food…a-are you all alright?" she added, getting her priorities straight.

Before she had even finished speaking, Finny and Maylene leapt forward and clutched at her skirts, sobbing incoherently. "Alright? _Alright_?" Bard echoed incredulously, standing up and tossing his frying pan to the ground. "'Course we're not alright! You saw what happened to the gardens, and the dinner! Sebastian's gonna _murder_ us when he finds out!" At this, the other two started bawling even harder, soaking the ends of Lucy's dress with their tears (fortunately for them, Lucy had not adopted her foster mother's rage concerning stained dresses. She was far too used to tear-stained clothes, and didn't care too much in the first place).

"Oh, I…I'm s-sure he wouldn't g-go that far," Lucy fibbed. She'd always been a horrible liar, and it looked as though the servants knew it.

"Oh, L-Lady Lucy, what are we going to do?" Maylene whimpered, gazing up at her pitiably. "I-If Mr. Sebastian sees the trouble we caused, h-he'll wring our necks, y-yes he will!"

"N-Now there's nothing for the guest!" Finny cried. "The Young Master's gonna fire us!"

"Of course he won't," Lucy soothed, trying to force herself into believing it as well. "Cousin Ciel needs you here, or else he wouldn't have hired you in the first place. And at any rate, I'm sure he wouldn't let you go over this. E-Everything was…an accident, right?" All three nodded vigorously. "G-Good! Then it will all be fine. If we just let Sebastian know quickly, then –!"

"NOOOO~!" Finny and Maylene shrieked together. "NO, LADY LUCY, PLEASE DON'T TELL SEBASTIAN~!"

"I told ya, he'll skin us alive!" Bard added, his face as white as a sheet. Amazing how an ex-American soldier could be so terrified of a mere butler.

"He'll see the gardens and cupboard sooner or later, and when he does, he'll know you three were involved," Lucy pointed out mildly. "Cousin Ciel has been in his study all day, I've been nowhere near the tea room or kitchen until now, and Mr. Tanaka has been sitting there since I arrived." She gestured over to the strangely soot-free steward, who was drinking tea by the fireplace and chuckling slightly. "The longer you wait to tell him, the angrier he'll get. If you admit your mistakes now, then there will be a chance a fixing them, and that Sebastian will go easier on you." A slim chance, but a chance nonetheless.

The three exchanged anxious looks. "I-I don't know," Finny said uncertainly. "He'll still get mad, won't he?"

"I don't want to face him when he finds out, n-no," Maylene added.

"Yeah, me neither," Bard finished thoughtfully. A huge grin suddenly broke out across his face. "Wait, I know! Let's have Lady Lucy go tell him!"

Lucy stared at him. "…what?"

Finny and Maylene jumped up, wearing identical grins. "Y-Yes, that's a wonderful idea, yes!" Maylene cried joyfully, her glasses askew.

Finny nodded eagerly in agreement. "That's right! Mr. Sebastian wouldn't ever hurt Lady Lucy, and now we don't have to tell him ourselves!"

Lucy's head was beginning to spin. "I-I don't think that's such a good –"

"Awright, Lady Lucy, break a leg out there!" Bard told her cheerfully, pushing her out the door, the three other servants following him. "Break it to him gently, 'kay?"

"N-Now wait just one moment!" Lucy piped up, turning around. "If _I _tell him, then that would defeat the whole purpose!"

Their faces fell (excluding Tanaka's). "B-B-But you _have_ to!" Finny whimpered, tearing up yet again. "Mr. Sebastian won't be as mad that way! He likes you!"

Lucy blushed and turned her head away. "Th-Th-That has nothing to d-do with it…you ought to take responsibility for your own mistakes…"

"O-Oh, we will, yes!" Maylene assured her. "But if you tell him first, Lady Lucy, he'll be nicer, we know he will!"

Lucy fidgeted uncomfortably. She really shouldn't. "I…but…"

"Pleeeeeease~?" the three crooned, clasping their hands and looking up at her sweetly.

"Ho, ho?" Tanaka echoed, mirroring their stances.

Lucy looked at them for a long moment, and then sighed sadly. She really needed to learn to stick up for herself. "…oh, all right. Just this once, I'll tell him –"

"I beg your pardon, Lady Luciana. Tell me what, exactly?"

Lucy jumped and turned about to see Sebastian himself standing behind her, smiling widely. It wasn't a kind smile; in fact, it gave Lucy such chills that she could barely speak. "A-A-Ah, S-S-Sebastian! I…that is…I w-wanted to…the m-mansion, it's…the g-gardens and t-tea cabinet…"

"If you are referring," Sebastian broke in, inclining his head apologetically for interrupting, "to the withered gardens, smashed tea set, and charred main course, there is no need. I thank you, My Lady, for your sincere concern." He bowed deeply. "Now, if you will excuse me…" Lucy hurriedly pressed herself against the narrow wall beside Mr. Tanaka and allowed Sebastian to address the petrified servants. His smile didn't falter, but it seemed to chill the air around him by at least ten degrees. "Now…how exactly did _this_ happen?" He made a gesture as to encompass the entire mansion under "_this_."

Despite their earlier resistance, the servants immediately blurted out their guilt. "I used undiluted weed-killer!" Finny whimpered, tears in his eyes. "I-I thought the work would go f-faster, but…!"

"I-I was trying to get the tea set we use for guests," Maylene sniffed, "b-but I tripped and knocked the cupboard over!"

"Well, there was some raw meat on the counter," Bard finished sullenly, "so I thought I'd cook it…uh…with my flamethrower…"

There was a long pause. Sebastian's smile had been replaced by a grim, disapproving frown. Lucy watched uncomfortably as the unlucky trio seemed to shrink before the angry butler.

Bard looked away sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment, while Finny and Maylene burst into tears anew. "Waaaah, we're so sorry, Mr. Sebastian!" There was an explosion of noise as the younger servants blubbered out apologies, Bard irritably defended his case, and Tanaka chuckled into his tea cup.

Lucy glanced over worriedly at Sebastian, who was thoughtfully touching his chin and staring off determinedly into space, leaving the culprits alone for the present. There were more important things to be worrying about than punishments. She could practically see the wheels in his head turning, as well they should be – if he didn't come up with a way to fix this chaos, then the night would be ruined. But Lucy couldn't see how anyone, even Sebastian, could weasel his way out of this mess. How could anyone obtain high-quality meat or a prime tea set, let alone force Nature to grow a garden, in two hours? It was impossible no matter how you looked at it.

As the minutes ticked by, the look on Sebastian's handsome face became more and more irritated. He seemed unable to concentrate because of the ruckus from his colleagues. He sighed exasperatedly and raised his voice over the caterwauling. "Calm down, all of you! You should all take a page from Mr. Tanaka's book and learn to behave like –"

The words died in his throat as his eyes widened the tiniest fraction. His head snapped around to gaze over at Tanaka – or rather, his small, Japanese teacup. Lucy looked over at the foreign tableware as well, but with confusion rather than realization – how was a simple teacup going to help? It was too plain for a high-class dinner guest…

Sebastian, however, apparently comprehended what she could not. "Everyone, please listen carefully to what I am about to say and act quickly in accordance." He gently took the cup from an approving Tanaka and held it up for all to see. "We shall make do with this."

Lucy was completely lost. "I…I don't understand, Sebastian. How will a Japanese tea cup help restore the dinner?"

The butler smiled knowingly down at her. "My Lady, have you ever heard of the principle of _Wabisabi_?"

"W-Wabi…n-no, I can't say that I have," Lucy stammered in reply, wracking her brains for any sort of familiarity.

"It is a well-known aesthetic among the Japanese. It is founded upon the appreciation of that which is natural, simplistic, imperfect, and impermanent." Tanaka, born in Japan, nodded in confirmation. "Rather than attempting to win over our guest with the opulence and elegance we have no access to at present," Sebastian went on, "we will try a different approach. Not only will this venture be far less costly and time-consuming, it will give our guest a unique cultural learning experience that he shall remember for the rest of his days." His smile widened coolly. "As I'm sure you are already well aware, Lady Luciana, our Phantomhive hospitality goes far above and beyond the norm."

"A-Ah…q-quite," Lucy said breathlessly, her face once more turning red (darn her pale complexion…). "Th-That's…that's a b-brilliant idea, Sebastian." The servants eagerly echoed her praise, momentarily recovered from their torment.

Sebastian kept on smiling, just as he always had. "You flatter me, Lady Luciana." He turned back to the servants, his expression becoming more serious. "Now, we have very little time, so do exactly as I say. Finnian, take this money –" He handed off two silver coins. "– and go purchase twelve bags of gravel and as many containers of iris bulbs as you see fit. Return within twenty minutes, if you'd please."

"Yes, sir!" Finny responded cheerfully. He zoomed off.

"Maylene," Sebastian continued, turning towards the blushing maid, "go to the storage room and search for the tea set given to the Young Master by his colleague in Japan. You should find five boxes placed in the far corner. Bring them back _carefully_ – walk, do not run. Have I made myself clear?"

"Y-Y-Yessir!" Maylene sputtered, hurrying off after Finny.

"Bardroy, prepare a pot of white rice and vegetables. When you have finished, fetch the lower-quality meat from the storehouse. Cut it into thin slices, which will then be placed atop the rice and vegetables."

Bard nodded, smoothing down his heat-inflated hair. "Gotcha. How should I cook the meat?"

"You shall not," Sebastian answered simply. "The dish I have in mind calls for raw meat."

Bard blinked quizzically. "Huh? Sebastian, how's _raw meat _gonna –"

"Bardroy."

There was a moment of silence as the two stared each other down. But Bard, for all his tough talk, was just as frightened of the butler as the others were; muttering in acquiescence, he fled back into the smoking kitchen.

Sebastian smiled triumphantly. "Thank you. Oh, and Mr. Tanaka, feel free to continue doing as you are now." He handed back the teacup.

"Ho, ho, ho."

Having distributed his orders, the butler returned his attention to his current guest. "Lady Luciana, please do not be concerned for tonight. You may relax in comfort while we prepare for tonight's dinner."

Lucy shook her head; she would have none of that. "Sebastian, I can't just sit by and do nothing while Cousin Ciel's reputation is at risk. I want to help, too."

Sebastian looked down at her, somewhat surprised. "But, My Lady, there is no need for you to lift a hand to labor while staying here. That is for the servants to handle. Should the Young Master or Madame Red discover that I set a young lady to work –"

Lucy shook her head, smiling sadly. "Sebastian, you and I both know that I'm not a proper lady, no matter how much Madame Red believes I am. I despise everything that a socialite should love; I doubt I was even born into a noble family. My life right now…it's all a lie." For the first time that day, she looked determinedly into Sebastian's red-brown eyes. "I've long since given up on trying to be something I'm not. I must believe in my own morals, even if they might not be what I believed before coming here. I can't let you do this by yourself." Something strange and barely-noticeable flashed across her wide brown eyes. "Please, Sebastian. You and Cousin Ciel already do so much for me; let me repay you, even if it's only a little bit."

Sebastian looked at her for what seemed like hours before smiling – somehow, this one seemed a little more genuine than the others. "How fortunate you are, My Lady, to be so self-aware. I have seen men and women far older than you, all with full knowledge of their respective pasts, flounder through lives that are not their own, simply because they cannot face the truth before them." Lucy didn't know how to respond, so she simply said nothing, blushing at the apparent praise. "Very well, Lady Luciana. I shall entrust to you the most important job of all, one that can be fulfilled only by you."

Lucy looked up at him in surprise. "R-Really?"

"Indeed." He gently placed a hand on her shoulder, a look of utter seriousness in his eyes. "Lady Luciana, it will be your task to ensure that the Young Master does not discover the manor's current state of affairs. He must not go into the garden, tea room, or kitchen until the guest has arrived. You must distract and deter him from doing any of these things until I give the word. Do you understand?"

Most important task…something only she could do…keeping Ciel's attention away from the current domestic chaos was definitely necessary, but Lucy had the feeling that Sebastian was just humoring her. Still, she was grateful that she was being given even the smallest chance, and was determined to take her job seriously. "Yes, I do. Thank you very much, Sebastian. And I promise, I won't let you down." And with a quick curtsy, she was off.

* * *

"Cousin?" she called out a few minutes later, knocking timidly on the door of Ciel's study. "Cousin Ciel? May I come in?"

There was a sound similar to large amounts of falling papers before she heard an answer. "Yes, go ahead and enter."

Lucy cautiously opened the door. She had only entered the study a few times (it had been off-limits until Ciel had taken over the earldom, and he still rarely let anyone besides Sebastian enter), as it was too great of a reminder of the duties Ciel had taken on too early. The study was too large, too wide, and too stuffy for a twelve-year-old. There were too many books with too many long words, too many portraits that Ciel didn't even care about, too many important papers strewn across a desk as wide as the ocean compared to its tiny occupant. This was no place for a child. But then again, Ciel no longer had a child's mindset.

The too-young Earl was seated behind the monstrosity of a desk, stuffing what looked like playing cards into his desk. Lucy smiled; at least that was a sure sign of childhood – goofing off when you were supposed to be working.

Ciel seemed to interpret the smile, however, as one of mocking, and his soft features twisted into a scowl. "What is it, Lucy? Has your mother come to pick you up already?"

Lucy flinched, her smile wiped away by his cold reception. "Er, n-no…n-not till later…b-but I, er…" _How do I say this…?_

Ciel's scowl deepened. "Hurry up and say it. I'm very busy."

Lucy winced and quickly blurted out, "I-I thought I might keep you company."

Ciel raised an eyebrow. "…'company?'" he echoed, as though he had never heard the word before.

"Y…yes. I-If that's a-all right."

The minutes ticked by, and Ciel continued to stare at her as if she'd grown an extra head. Lucy fidgeted uncomfortably and eyed the door longingly. This was a bad idea; she should have known better than to provoke her cousin's antisocial temper. _I'll have to think of something else now, if he's not too suspicious…perhaps I can sit outside the door and watch to see if he goes anywhere…but what excuse will I give when he sees me…?_

"…fine."

Lucy was jerked out of her planning by the young noble's curt reply. "I-I beg your p-pardon, Cousin?"

Ciel pushed himself out of his chair and walked around his desk, his good eye locked on his foster cousin's face. "I have been ungracious host so far. It is my duty as the Earl of Phantomhive, as a citizen of Great Britain, and as a human being to serve anyone who comes under my roof." He bowed slightly before her, a light smile curving his lips upwards. "Allow me to entertain you to the fullest degree of Phantomhive hospitality, Lady Durless."

Lucy shrank back, feeling extremely uncomfortable. "C-Ciel…you don't have to…I could just sit and read…I don't want to disturb your work…"

"I've finished anyway," Ciel replied, waving a hand dismissively.

Judging from the large pile of blank forms on the table, Lucy imagined that he was lying for her benefit again. But she kept silent as Ciel crossed a room and pulled on a string in the corner, causing a tinkling bell to ring.

In a matter of seconds, Sebastian entered the room. "Is there something I may do for you, Young Master?" he asked politely, smiling slightly.

"Bring us tea," Ciel ordered without looking up, "and fetch the chessboard from the parlor. My cousin and I shall have a game before Mr. Damian arrives."

Sebastian bowed slightly. "As you wish, My Lord." Lucy had an urge to discreetly ask how everything was going, but Sebastian shook his head ever so slightly and put a finger to his lips. Lucy blushed and looked away, chastised. His smile growing wider, he exited the room.

In almost no time at all, he was back, bearing the chessboard in one hand and a tea tray in another. He handed the cups to his noble charges (a deliciously-fragrant mix of Earl Grey that warmed Lucy from the inside out) and rearranged the room so that the chessboard, fully set up for a game, rested atop a small table with two comfortable-looking chairs on either side. All of this had been done in the shortest possible time; once again, Lucy found herself thoroughly impressed.

"Will there be anything else, Young Master?" the butler inquired of his master.

"When will Damian be arriving?" Ciel asked, settling into one of the chairs and gesturing for his foster cousin to take the other.

"In approximately two hours, sir."

"Fine, that leaves us time for at least one game. That will be all, Sebastian." The butler bowed again and made himself scarce.

Ciel turned to his cousin. "You have control of the white pieces, Lucy. It's your move."

"R-Right." She cautiously moved a pawn forward.

The game progressed quickly. Lucy had been playing chess for years, but she was still no match for the young earl, who was skilled in all forms of games and competitions. In no time, her king was surrounded.

"Checkmate," Ciel said with a smile, knocking over the pearly chess piece with one of his knights.

Lucy sighed, a smile of her own lighting her face. "Oh, dear, I lost again. You're very good at this, Cousin Ciel. I-If it's not too much trouble, would you give me some advice on how to improve my strategy?"

"There's no need to," Ciel replied, resetting the board for another round. "You're getting better and better every time we play. You just need some more practice." He paused, his hand hovering over a discarded white pawn. "…although, there is something about your strategy that is rather curious."

"And what is that, Cousin?"

He held up the pawn. "Nearly every time you play, you focus all your energy in getting a pawn to the other side of the board. Why is that? It hasn't ever worked, at least, not when you play me."

Lucy blushed self-consciously. "Oh, w-well…it's a little silly, but…y-you know, Cousin, that if your pawn reaches the far side of the board, it can be promoted to a queen?"

Ciel nodded. "Indeed. It can be promoted to any higher-ranked piece, actually, but a queen is the most common. Go on."

"W-Well," Lucy continued nervously, becoming more embarrassed by the second, "I've…I've always wanted to try it. Promotion is such a rare occurrence in chess, and I know I'll lose against you anyway, so…"

Ciel expression hardened. "That can't be the reason, Cousin Lucy. Only a coward gives up in the middle of a game. You are overly-anxious and too timid for your own good, but you aren't a coward."

"Er…thank you, I suppose…" Lucy said quietly, choosing to take that as a compliment. "And, er…l-like I said, it's silly, b-but…the idea of s-something so small becoming something great if it w-works hard enough…I l-love that 'r-rags to riches' story."

Ciel nodded in understanding. "I see. That's because it's your own story, isn't it?"

"And yours," Lucy whispered to herself.

"What was that?"

"Oh…n-nothing." She had the sneaking suspicion he had heard anyway, though, judging from the look on his face.

For a long time, the two just sat there, looking at the chessboard. Neither made a move to begin the game again, each lost in their own thoughts about the other. Finally, Ciel roused himself and said with forced casualness, "By the way, Madame Red tells me that you'll be getting married soon. Am I to assume that this is more of her outlandish gossip, or do you actually have a fiancé none of us are aware of?"

Lucy sighed. _Not this again…_"There is a _rumor_," she emphasized aloud, "that the Viscount of Druitt _might_ propose to me. I highly doubt it will happen, but the Madame takes pleasure in blowing things like this immensely out of proportion."

"Indeed she does." The two shared a quiet chuckle, making Lucy's heart soar with joy at her cousin's rarely-seen smile. "I have never met the Viscount Druitt. Is he good to you?"

Lucy's face fell. "Well, eh…he seems kind enough, but…actually, I don't like him very much."

Ciel raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"He's…he's just not for me," Lucy said lamely. "A-And I know I don't have many other options, but…I don't think I'm ready for marriage yet."

"I see."

Lucy was expecting another interrogation like the one in the carriage, but Ciel was quiet for a long time, his hand hovering over the black king. Finally, he looked up at her and said suddenly, "Lucy, what is it that you want out of life?"

Lucy blinked in surprise. "H-Huh?"

"You do not wish to marry, even though that is the only option a young noblewoman has. Your health makes you unfit for work, and Madame Red and I would not allow it anyway. You have few friends outside the mansion, and you despise social gatherings. Whenever you are here, you are either alone in the library or alone in the stables. You always go along with what everyone else wants with no regard for your own wishes." He leaned his elbows on the table and linked his fingers, resting his chin on his hands. "What is it, Cousin, that will make you truly happy?"

Lucy stared at him. No one, not even the Madame, had ever asked her a question like that before. They were all too concerned with themselves to give her a thought. She was fine with that, of course, but…"I…I have four wishes," she said softly, not meeting Ciel's firm gaze. "They are all quite large, so I doubt they will come true…but if even one of them were to occur, then I should be the happiest girl in the world."

"What are they?"

Lucy hesitated for a moment. "Well…m-my memories, of course, and for better health…and…" She took a deep breath. "…for your happiness, Ciel."

Ciel's eye widened. "What?"

Lucy's face reddened, and she looked down at her shaking hands. "I…I know you won't ever be…the same…after what happened to you and Uncle Vincent and Auntie Rachel…but…you were happier back then than you are now." She nervously met his astonished gaze. "I know that you're an earl now, and the head of the company, and I know you can handle that kind of pressure, but…I don't know if that makes you truly…_happy_. I only want you…to smile again, Cousin."

There was a long silence. Ciel stared at her, mouth slightly agape. Lucy looked back down at her hands, regretting her words, even if they did reflect her true feelings. She wondered, in the back of her mind, if the Madame or Lizzie or Auntie Frances or anyone else had ever said that to Ciel…

The young lord reached a hand out towards her, his face pale. "You –"

There was a knock on the door that made both young people jump. Ciel let his hand fall to his lap and called for the visitor to enter in a steady voice, like the moment of uncertainty had never happened.

Sebastian entered the room, leaving the door slightly ajar behind him. "Pardon me, Young Master and Lady Luciana, but our guest will be arriving shortly. Will you wait for him in the foyer, or shall I show him into the parlor?" Had two hours really passed that quickly? Lucy hadn't even been aware.

"We'll greet him ourselves," Ciel answered shortly, rising from his chair. "Show him in, Sebastian."

"Very good, Young Master." He bowed and left once more.

Ciel turned back to his foster cousin, his expression unreadable. "Shall we go, Lucy?"

Lucy jumped, still not recovered from the awkward revelation. "Eh…a-am I going, too?"

"Of course. Being a Phantomhive yourself, it is only befitting that you assist in entertaining my business associate."

Lucy considered mentioning that she wasn't _actually _a Phantomhive, but she wisely decided against. "O-Oh…I-I don't want to get in the way, Ciel. I can easily have my dinner with the servants…"

"Certainly not. You are a member of my family, and far too good to be dining with servants. You are a welcome addition to my table, Lucy." He took her hand, helped her out of the chair, and led her out of the study.

All the way down to the foyer, a storm raged within Lucy's barricaded brain. She was barely able to force away the strength of her cousin's earlier reaction from her memory, but now she was anxiously preoccupied with the state of the mansion. Had Sebastian been able to get everything ready in time? It seemed an impossible task, but this was _Sebastian_, after all. He'd done things like this before, but…

"Ciel," Lucy began timidly, trying to get on a new train of thought. "Exactly what sort of guest are we entertaining tonight?"

"Signore Damian, an Italian man representing the Poseidon Company," Ciel answered simply from where he stood at her left and a little ahead. "I have him managing a stuffed animal factory in India. I imagine he has a new business proposition to discuss. Be polite to him."

"Yes, Cousin," she answered meekly, already anticipating the screams of horror upon seeing the ruined garden.

Before long, she _did _begin to hear a loud, heavily-accented voice…but it didn't seem to be screaming. Was it…_laughing_? She hurriedly strained to catch the words from behind the closed door. "– that's the house of Phantomhive for you! I cannot wait until this evening!"

The door opened, revealing old Mr. Tanaka, bearing a coat and top hat, leading in a heavy man with light brown hair, a goatee, and a moustache. He wore a crisp brown suit and a purple ascot tie. His eyes were sparkling and his cheeks were flushed with laughter. "Ah, _buona sera_, my Lord Phantomhive! What a pleasure it is to see you again, and what a magnificent garden you have!"

Lucy hurriedly glanced out the closing door, and her eyes widened in surprise. The desert-like, empty garden had been transformed into a sparse-yet-lovely open area, decorated with fine sand, strategically-placed ricks, and gorgeous irises. Even the bare trees looked wondrous in such a configuration. It was laughably simple, and yet truly beautiful…_this must be "_Wabisabi_"…well done, Sebastian…_

Ciel inclined his head towards his fellow businessman. "Welcome, Signore Damian. I am honored by the compliment."

"Not at all!" Damian laughed, clapping him heartily on the back (Ciel managed to keep his footing, but was leaning heavily on his walking stick for quite some time afterwards). "It's been quite a while since we've seen each other, no? Have you gotten any taller since last time?"

Ciel's eyebrow twitched, but he kept his composure. "I regret to say that I have not."

"Aha, my apologies! Maybe next time, eh?" The Italian man turned to Lucy, and his smile seemed to grow (if possible) even wider. "And who is this delicate flower?" Lucy's cheeks flushed.

"Allow me to present my elder cousin, Lady Luciana Durless," Ciel replied as a means of introduction. "Cousin Lucy, Signore Damian of the Poseidon Company."

Lucy curtsied politely. "H-How do you do, Signore Damian?"

Damian kissed her hand. "My, what a lovely young lady! A true pleasure, to be certain. Will you be joining us for dinner, Signora Durless?"

"I shall, sir."

"Excellent! This evening just gets more and more exciting!" he laughed.

Ciel and Lucy exchanged a look – hers of nervous embarrassment, his of irritated condolence. "Unfortunately, dinner won't be ready for a while yet," Ciel said stiffly to his guest. "Shall we wait in the parlor, Signore Damian? We can discuss business until my butler comes to fetch us."

"That sounds wonderful! Lead on, My Lord!" Ciel was happy to oblige, walking at a bit too quick a pace, with Damian directly behind him.

Lucy made a move to follow, but stopped to glance over her shoulder as Sebastian inconspicuously entered the mansion. She grinned happily and nodded at him, which he returned with a bow and a wink.

So far, so good. But there was a long way to go until the evening ended…

* * *

**Next up will be the conclusion of Episode 1, but I won't be able to start working on it until I get back from my marching band trip on Jan. 7th. We're going to the SUGAR BOWL! :D**

**A blessed and happy holiday season to all. 3**


	4. Chapter 3: That Girl, in the Evening

I had a lot of fun at the Sugar Bowl (go Buckeyes!), and I'm loving my shiny new Black Butler DVD! I don't care what you all think, I absolutely LOVE the dub...except for Grell's pet name for Sebastian. Seriously, "Bassy?" No.

This chapter is dedicated to animechick247, who's in the process of creating fan art for this story! :)

Kuroshitsuji / Black Butler © Yana Toboso, Square Enix, A-1 Pictures, Yen Press, and FUNimation Entertainment. The following is a fan-made story written for entertainment purposes only. No profits are being made. Please support the official release.

The passage from Emily Brontë's _Wuthering Heights_ can be found in Chapter 9, on or about page 79.

* * *

Yes, there was a long way to go until the night was over…and for Lucy, the time couldn't go fast enough.

Even if this was for her little cousin's business and would probably make him a good deal of money in the foreseeable future, the young lady secretly had no desire whatsoever to entertain Signore Damian. It wasn't anything personal, really – she just hated social events like this (a strong statement from the normally mild and gentle girl, but truthful nonetheless). Every party was a constant reminder of what she lacked physically and mentally, as well as a testament to the air-headed idiocies of upper-class English society. Naturally, entertaining a lone Italian businessman wasn't anywhere near similar to those ridiculous balls Madame Red forced her to attend, but it made her uncomfortable all the same; she had horrible stranger anxiety, and she felt like every time Damian looked at her, he was judging her as harshly as those pampered debutantes always did. Again, nothing personal, but…

…on second thought, maybe it was a little personal. Lucy had been watching Damian speak with Ciel for over an hour now, and she had long since decided that she (regrettably, in her opinion) did not like him very much. She couldn't really explain why or how, but there was something about him that just felt…wrong. The man spoke quite a lot and laughed far too loudly – not necessarily bad things, of course, but in Damian's case…she was reminded of something she'd heard Ciel say a while back: "Talking and laughing too loudly and often is a mark of cowardice; a truly confident man can hold his tongue without feeling inferior." Lucy didn't really consider that to be a fool-proof generalization, but it made her wonder…was there something Damian was hiding?

It wasn't just the noise that bothered her, though; every now and then, Damian would stop talking and glance over to where Lucy was sitting meekly by the window. And it wasn't just a simple "_I-wonder-if-she's-okay_" glance, either. It was more like…well, it reminded her of the looks the Viscount Druitt sometimes gave her, and it wasn't very pleasant to see. _I do wonder why he's giving me those looks, though_, she thought, pointedly turning away from the eager Italian. _It's not as though I'm anything special…perhaps he's just a…a pervert…like Lord Chambers._ The thought made her shudder in disgust.

Forcing herself away from that revolting train of thought, Lucy turned her attention back to the book she'd been reading since their arrival to the parlor (whatever Ciel said, she didn't feel as though she needed to excessively entertain the guest, and since Ciel raised no objections, she had meekly excused herself fairly early on. Besides, she was quite bored). She had randomly pulled off the shelves a thick volume called _Wuthering Heights_. It had been written about forty years ago by one-time author Ellis Bell, but there were rumors flying around that it was actually written by a relative of Charlotte Brontë (Lucy wouldn't be surprised if they were true. She loved _Jane Eyre_, and the styles of both books were eerily similar). It was a romantic story, and beautifully-written, too, but all the same, Lucy wasn't quite sure if she liked it. Nearly everyone ended up dying at the end, and all of the characters were so mean-spirited, even little Cathy Linton. It was too depressing for her tastes (although perhaps she would have been able to bear it if she could actually understand what old Joseph was saying).

Still, there was one part of the novel that truly struck a chord in her. Early on in the book, when Catherine Earnshaw was considering whether or not to marry Edgar Linton, she confided in her nursemaid her great love for the story's protagonist, Heathcliff. This would not have been exceptionally remarkable under normal circumstances, but the way she phrased it made Lucy's frail heart skip a beat: "_If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger: I should not seem a part of it…Nelly, I am Heathcliff! He's always, always in my mind: not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself, but as my own being._"

She _was _the man that she loved…their souls were as one even outside of marriage…it was the most romantic thing Lucy had ever read. As most teenage girls would, she (embarrassedly) attempted to compare Catherine's feelings for Heathcliff with her own feelings for Sebastian, but…it wasn't working out too well. Lucy just couldn't force herself into believing that she and her cousin's butler had the same soul; if anything, Sebastian's soul was made of far stronger stuff than hers. _So I suppose that means…I shouldn't be with him after all…_She couldn't honestly say that she was surprised, but it stung all the same.

And yet…

And yet the powerful sentiments expressed by Catherine Earnshaw did reflect those directed at another man…the mysterious, black-clad savior who had delivered Lucy from the burning village. After all, this man was the beginning of the world for her; should he die, then the whole world should die along with him. _How strange_, Lucy mused, idly flipping a page, _that a man I have never met seems more important to me than Sebastian…how frightfully cruel of me…of course I care for Sebastian, but…well, I suppose I shouldn't put much stock in what I read in fiction novels_. With that, she closed the book ad returned her attention to the business meeting.

Well, "business meeting" was used rather loosely; in truth, not one shred of business had been discussed the whole hour. The instant they had entered the parlor, Ciel had directed Damian to the center of the room, where two armchairs were set up before a small table bearing a board game (not unlike the setup in Ciel's study). The game, _Devil's Snare_, was one of Ciel's favorites, and he insisted on playing a round before discussing the contract. However, _Devil's Snare _was infamous for having exceptionally long rounds, and Lucy could see that Damian was starting to lose his patience. Every so often, he would attempt to bring up the purpose of his visit, but would be blatantly ignored in favor of the board game. Lucy smiled slightly. _How very much like Cousin Ciel._

It appeared as though Signore Damian was attempting to get the young earl back on track once more. "You know, Lord Phantomhive, the progress of the spinning technology in our East Indian factory is truly astonishing. We are also developing quite a top-notch staff –"

"'Bewitched by the eyes of the dead'…" Ciel said suddenly, moving his piece forward. It didn't look like he'd been paying any attention at all. "Rotten luck. I've lost a turn."

But Damian wasn't ready to give up yet. "Now is the perfect opportunity to expand our reach in India! All we would need is a larger labor force to –"

"It's your turn."

Damian blinked quizzically, startled by the young lord's rudeness. "Eh…ah, yes. Well, then, if you'll excuse me…" He spun the top and began advancing his piece. "Okay, five spaces. As I was saying, if I could ask for your support in the form of another 12,000 pounds…"

Lucy didn't make a sound or move an inch from her seat, but her eyes widened considerably and her mouth fell open slightly. Twelve thousand pounds! What an outrageous thing to ask for! Lucy didn't know a thing about business management, but did it really cost that much just to hire a few more workers?

Ciel made no movements in response, and with his back to her, she couldn't see the look on his face, but she imagined that it wasn't anything good, judging from the look on Damian's face. "I'm sure it will be a profitable venture for you as well, My Lord," he said quickly. "You see, it is my wish that I, through the Poseidon Company, become a vehicle for the Funtom Company to make an even bigger name for itself throughout all of South Asia –"

"'You lose a leg in the enchanted forest,'" Ciel interrupted disinterestedly. "And it's your turn again." Misinterpreting Damian's look of surprise, he added with a touch of impatience, "I lost a turn, remember?"

"Eh…quite…"

Damian hesitated for a moment but reluctantly spun the top again; it was clear that he was getting irritated, but he was of a lower class than the young earl, and knew better than to refuse. "Right, six spaces." He reached for his game piece.

"Wait," Ciel said suddenly. "It's three spaces."

Damian looked up in surprise. "What? But I –"

"You lost a leg, remember? From now on, you can only move half the number of spaces."

There was a short pause. Lucy shuddered quietly; she didn't like this game. It was so gruesome, and somehow, she always had the worst luck when playing. She was consistently either frightfully unlucky or too frightened by the headings on each space to think clearly, and as a result, she had never beaten her cousin at this game. Well, she lost to him in everything else anyway…

Damian broke the silence by letting out a somewhat-forced-sounding chuckle. "This is quite the severe board game, isn't it? Is there any way to regain my leg?"

Ciel stiffened up, and his head bowed ever so slightly. "Something once lost…can never return," he murmured grimly.

That tore it. Lucy leapt to her feet with such vigor that the chair toppled over and fell with a loud _thud_. Damian jumped, startled, but Ciel remained perfectly still, as though made of stone. Lucy's face colored at her commotion, but she remained standing, swaying slightly on her feet. "Y-You…you don't really…_mean_ that…do you, c-cousin?" she stammered.

Still the young lord said nothing. Unsatisfied, Lucy took a step forward, but halted as Ciel raised a hand. "Ciel…"

Still ignoring both his cousin and his guest, Ciel lowered his hand to snatch Damian's piece out of his hand and move it forward three spaces. "'Your body is burned within the raging flames.'"

Lucy shivered and looked up to meet Damian's unsettled eyes. "Er…p-please excuse me, Signore," she said softly, curtsying. With one last, troubled look at her cousin (who still had not turned around), Lucy made a semi-dignified beeline for the door…

…almost running into Sebastian as the door opened.

"A-Ah…!" she gasped, her heart pounding against her ribs. "I-I-I'm so s-sorry, S-Sebastian…!"

"Not at all, My Lady," Sebastian responded evenly, bowing. "The fault was mine for not announcing myself. Please accept my most humble apologies."

Lucy stuttered something unintelligible and scrambled away from the door, her face as red as her dress. His ever-present smile widening slightly, Sebastian turned towards the two in chairs and inclined his head respectfully. "Pardon the interruption, but dinner is served."

Damian's round face broke out in a grin. "Ah, the dinner in that stone garden? I've been eagerly awaiting it!" He started to rise from his seat, his eyes sparkling in anticipation.

Ciel didn't look nearly as excited. "All right. We'll finish the game later."

Damian sat back down, forcing a smile at his host. There was a vein twitching just below his hairline. "Eh…I'm not sure we need to finish it. It's quite clear that I'll lose after all."

"It's not my style to abandon a game halfway through," Ciel replied coolly, standing up and walking towards the door. Lucy scooted back further to let him pass.

Damian remained seated for a moment, his jovial smile replaced by a frustrated scowl. As Lucy watched, he turned his head away and muttered something in a harsh tone…something that sounded suspiciously like "child."

Ciel paused in mid-step and joined his foster cousin in staring at his guest (although his stare was quite a bit less alarmed than hers). Noticing his hosts' attentiveness, Damian quickly added, "I-I mean, the open and flexible heart of a child is required of a craftsman, wouldn't you agree, My Lord? Perhaps that is what made the Phantomhives the nation's foremost toymakers. I'm certainly impressed!"

He was a smooth talker, certainly, but Lucy was no fool. It was obvious now what Signore Damian had been so desperate to hide – he, like the vast majority of high-class society, found Ciel to be nothing more than a child, incapable of running a business empire. Lucy felt her fists clench and shake in fury. Why, _why_ did everyone hate him so much? Yes, he was twelve, and true that he wasn't the most friendly person in the world, but he was the most successful businessman she'd ever met, and he was wise and mature beyond his years, and he really did care about his business (somewhere deep down). So why…?

A gloved hand suddenly rested upon her shoulder, and Lucy looked up in alarm to see Sebastian standing over her, smiling in a sympathetic sort of way. Lucy nodded slightly and forced herself to relax – making a scene wouldn't help matters. But she couldn't help noticing that the look in Sebastian's eyes as he glanced back at Damian was rather…_less-than-friendly_. Could it be that he'd noticed, as well? _What a foolish question_, Lucy scoffed inwardly. _Of course he would know. He knows everything that goes on in this mansion_. It was a real relief to have someone like that around, she said to herself as she followed the butler, Ciel, and Damian out of the parlor. Especially since Ciel and the other servants could hardly take care of themselves.

For a while, the four filed down the hallway in silence. Every now and then, Damian would discreetly glance backwards to look at Lucy (who was starting to lag behind – she was already tired after the eventful day), but Ciel kept his head straight forward, his eyes fixed firmly on the back of his butler's tailcoat. Lucy fidgeted nervously; was he deliberately avoiding her? Had she upset him with her outburst in the parlor? In hindsight, it _did_ seem like a rather improper thing to do. Damian, thankfully, didn't seem too upset, so it shouldn't have been too big a deal, right? But to anger her little cousin, when their relationship was already so strained…Lucy was so worried and upset at the thought that she forgot to look where she was going and ended up stumbling over a snag in the carpet.

_That_ got his attention. Ciel paused and turned on his heel, looking back at his cousin's floundering to regain her balance with a carefully stoic face. "Are you all right, Lucy?" he asked almost tonelessly.

Lucy wobbled for a moment, thoroughly embarrassed, before straightening up and averting her eyes. "Y-Yes, I'm a-all right." _Goodness, as if this day couldn't get any worse…_

"You've been acting strangely all evening; are you feeling ill?"

"O-Oh, n-no, I'm fine. It's only…" _Only concern for you and mortification over my actions, but I suppose that's nothing new, is it? _"…it's only a headache," she half-lied; her head was beginning to throb in exhaustion and shame.

Ciel's tone didn't change, but Lucy imagined that he had secretly the same concern for her that Sebastian and Damian were showing on their faces. "Do you need to skip dinner and lie down?"

To be honest, there was nothing in the world that Lucy wanted more, but she knew that (disturbingly) Damian would be disappointed if she missed dinner, and more importantly, that Ciel would be dishonored if a member of his family withheld their hospitality. So, regretfully, she assured them once again that she was all right and would love to have dinner with them.

Ciel nodded shortly. "Well, if you're certain –" He held out a hand, and the ghost of a smile flitted across his face. "– then allow me to properly escort you, at least, my dear cousin."

"C-Ciel…?" Lucy whispered uncertainly. He was acting strangely (for him), but it felt…nice…she reached out to take his hand, but Ciel ignored it in favor of linking arms with her, slightly supporting her weight.

"Now, Sebastian, let's continue," he ordered calmly, slowly guiding his cousin past Damian as if his chivalry were an everyday occurrence.

"Yes, My Lord," Sebastian replied with a nod, his smile curving into a smirk. Ciel shot him a glare as they continued down the hall and out the door into the backyard.

The stone garden Lucy had glimpsed through the front door stretched all the way around the mansion (which made her wonder how Finny had weeded the entire grounds before noticing how withered they had become), and it was still as beautiful as it had been that afternoon. The shadowy bare trees stood out sharply from the night sky, and the irises glowed silver in the moonlight. A few thin clumps of grass that Sebastian must have replanted rustled gently in the breeze, but not one tiny speck of gravel was out of place. A polished stone pathway led from the door to a long table, dotted with brightly-lit paper lamps. The table was covered with a sparkling-new tablecloth, and sparkling plates and silverware were set elegantly at three places – one at either end and one on the side, only a few inches from the one at the head of the table.

Ciel led Lucy over to this side chair, pulled it out in a gentlemanly manner, and pushed it in once she was seated. Accepting her shy thanks with a curt nod and a small smile, he turned towards the chair at the head of the table, where he presumably would be sitting…just in time to see Damian pushing himself in a self-satisfied way, looking around the garden in wonder. Ciel's eye twitched dangerously and he made a soft "tch" noise in annoyance, but he shrugged unconcernedly at his cousin (who was wearing a look halfway between concern for his authority as host and concern for her own safety) and strode down the table to the remaining chair, his butler following closely behind. Sebastian pushed Ciel in and began carrying bowls and glasses from a rolling cart off to the side to their proper places at the table.

"So, Signora Luciana," Damian was saying, leaning uncomfortably close to the young lady, "we've been talking…eh…_business_…all night, but I haven't heard a single thing about you yet. Why don't you tell me a little about yourself?" He slipped his hand over hers, which had been resting in her lap.

Lucy let out an almost inaudible whimper and quickly retracted her hand, trying to play it off by reaching for her water glass. "O-Oh, e-er…I-I don't think I-I'm all that i-interesting, S-Signore." Excluding the bit about her amnesia, but she didn't even feel comfortable discussing that with family, let alone creepy Italian businessmen who had it in for her beloved cousin.

But Damian wasn't giving up that easily. "Oh, come now, I insist! Certainly a young lady as lovely as yourself must have some wonderful stories to tell!" Lucy choked on her water. "And if it's too soon for that, then tell me about the things you like…about your family! After all_, la famiglia è la patria del cuore_, as we say in Italy."

Lucy wasn't quite sure what that meant, but she realized that Damian wasn't going to back down unless she said something. She glanced desperately at Ciel for help, but he just glared sternly at her and waved a hand as if to say, "Well, hurry it along, then." Lucy sighed quietly, resigned to her mortifying fate. "Right, then…my…my family." _My adopted one._ "Well…I-I live in London, sir, with my mother. She's a doctor at the London Hospital. I-I don't spend a good deal of time at home, though…M-Mother doesn't like me there by myself, just in case something happens, so I often am here with my cousin during the day. H-He's very good to me," she added quickly. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ciel's mouth twitch slightly, and she smiled. _If I say the right things, I might be able to make Signore Damian respect Cousin Ciel a little more…_

But Damian had no interest in the young earl; he still had his eyes on Lucy, looking rather concerned. "Oh, my, you and your mother live alone? You have no brothers and sisters, or servants?"

"Well, we have a butler, Grell," she replied, "but my mother prefers me to be here. He's a little…er…challenged. Just a bit."

Damian nodded sympathetically. "Ah, I see. But there's something I do not understand – why not just stay with your father? Is your mother that angry with him? Was it a horrible split, and now she doesn't want him to see you?"

Lucy blinked at him quizzically. "I beg your pardon – oh! Oh, no, my…my parents aren't divorced. You see, my father…" She paused, her fists clenched beneath the table. "…my father died three years ago in a carriage accident."

Damian's face fell. "Oh, my, how terrible! I'm so very sorry for your loss!"

"Thank you very much," Lucy answered quietly, averting her eyes. She regretted bringing up Baron Barnett's death, to a stranger, even – her foster father had always been very kind to her, and she mourned his passing. "Mother and I miss him terribly, but we're still getting along."

"That's excellent to hear. You really are a brave girl, Signora Luciana. If there's anything at all I can do for you, please don't hesitate to – what in the world is this?"

Lucy only had time to frown in confusion over the abrupt change in attitude before Sebastian placed a small bowl before her. This must've been the back-up main course – although it looked so strange and out of the ordinary that Lucy could plainly see what had surprised Damian so. It was nothing more than a pile of raw beef layered over rice with some vegetables.

Ciel was looking equally disturbed by the meal, but as the host, he couldn't very well ask about it, so Lucy did it for him. "Er, Sebastian…wh-what sort of dish is this?"

As always, Sebastian's impassive smile did not fade from his face as he spoke. "Tonight's menu features a finely-chopped raw beef _donburi_, courtesy of our chef, Bardroy."

_Donburi_…so it was a Japanese dish. Only fitting, she supposed. Still, even though Sebastian had served it (meaning that it was, at the very least, edible), she was reluctant to try it. She didn't mind that it was a foreign dish so much as the notion of eating raw meat. That couldn't possibly be healthy.

Damian didn't seem too keen on the dish, either. "And…this is dinner?" he managed to say, still staring blankly at his plate.

"Yes, sir," Sebastian answered simply, his smile twitching very slightly. "Are you not familiar with it, Master Damian?" Damian shook his head mutely, and Sebastian's smile widened. "This, good sir, is a traditional Japanese dish passed down through the generations since ancient times! It is a treat offered as a sign of gratitude to one who has accomplished important work! That, sir, is the wonder of the _donburi_ bowl!" he finished passionately, his face sliding back into its calm mask once more.

There was a beat of silence as all this sank in. Ciel's face was as stoic as ever, while Damian was looking (pardon the pun) quite bowled over from the dramatic speech. Lucy was staring at Sebastian in awe. How was it that, in the midst of all his other duties, Sebastian had been able to learn the full history of _donburi_? Had it already known all of that already? Either way, she was impressed, certainly enough to reach for her knife and fork and try this exotic gratitude dish (she wasn't going to bother humiliating herself with the chopsticks). It was delicious, particularly with soy sauce, and she shot Sebastian an approving smile.

The butler inclined his head in response before turning back to Damian and continuing with his _donburi_ spiel. "We devised this scheme to show but a small portion of our thanks for your devoted efforts on behalf the Funtom Company." Ciel nodded curtly; he had probably learned by now to play along with this sort of thing.

There was another long pause before Damian let out a short, booming laugh. "What a unique idea!" he marveled, throwing his arms widely apart out of joy. "That's the legendary Phantomhive hospitality for you! Absolutely first-rate!" Ciel nodded in acknowledgment, and both gentlemen began digging in, Damian with a quite a bit more gusto.

"We have prepared a wine with an aroma that greatly compliments that of soy sauce," Sebastian announced, gesturing to a rolling tray with a bottle of wine set atop of it. "Maylene, if you'd please." Maylene was standing beside the tray, smiling unnaturally widely; she seemed nervous. Lucy shot her an encouraging sort of smile and waited for Maylene to come forward with the bottle.

The seconds ticked by, but Maylene stood completely still with that strange grin on her face. Damian was too wrapped up in his meal to notice, but Ciel had turned his head slightly so that he could glare at her with his good eye. Sebastian seemed to be losing his patience, even though the smile never left his face. "Maylene," he said pointedly, looking at the bottle.

Maylene jumped in surprise. "Uh, y-yes, sir?"

Sebastian's eyes narrowed dangerously, and he closed the distance between them to whisper something in her ear. Lucy winced; this was a bad move on Sebastian's part. Unbeknownst to him (or rather, unbeknownst at least to the point of him not saying anything about it), Maylene was something of a love rival to Lucy (although she was never treated as such); she too had an abnormally large crush on Sebastian, and she blushed almost as frequently as the young lady. Even -now, as Sebastian pulled back, Lucy could see that Maylene's face had turned beet-red. The poor maid was staggering drunkenly to the table, clutching the wine bottle for dear life. Swaying slightly on her feet, she fractionally tipped the wine bottle in the direction of Damian's glass, her hands trembling violently.

"Easy does it, Maylene," Lucy whispered anxiously.

Maylene didn't seem to have heard, most likely do to her own furious muttering under her breath. Lucy strained her hearing to catch some snippets of what the clumsy maid was saying. "S-S-S-Sebastian, y-you can't m-make that s-sort of f-f-face in p-public…th-that face…that f-f-f-face!" Maylene let out something that sounded suspiciously like a squeal and spastically poured the wine…

…right onto the sparkling-white tablecloth.

For what seemed like an eternity, Lucy sat frozen in her seat, her eyes bulging out of their sockets. It was like she was floating somewhere above her body, seeing everything below: Maylene continuing to pour, heedless of her error; Damian lifting his bowl to his face, completely oblivious for this one instant; Ciel staring with wide, shocked eyes at Maylene, his chopsticks frozen halfway to his mouth; Sebastian looking as stoic as ever, but with his eyes narrowed once more; and the stain, the dark red stain spreading further and further towards the edge of the table, surely to spill onto Damian's lap at any second…

Lucy wasn't sure what made her do it, but before she realized what was happening, she had reached out to grab Damian's shoulder. "Oh, Signore Damian, where have my manners gone?" she heard herself say. "You are my cousin's important guest, and here I am prattling on about myself! How very rude of me! Please, sir, tell me something about yourself, now."

Damian blinked at her, and then smiled slyly. "My, I'm flattered by your interest, Signora Luciana. What would you like to hear about, my dear?"

"E-Er…w-well," Lucy stammered weakly, "…w-what sort of work do you do in India, Signore? I'm _ever_ so interested," she added coyly, batting her eyelashes at him. If she wasn't so desperate to distract him, she would've been utterly disgusted with herself.

"Ah, but of course," Damian replied smoothly, his smile widening. "I'd be happy to tell you anything you wish to – eh?" he gasped suddenly, his eyes fixed on the table.

Lucy's heart stopped. This was it. He'd seen the stain. It was all over. Lucy squeezed her eyes shut, feeling horrified tears start to form. _All of Sebastian's hard work…it was all for nothing. The night is ruined…ruined…_

"Where did the tablecloth go?"

Lucy's eyes snapped open, and she followed Damian's startled gaze. Her mouth fell open in shock. The stained tablecloth had disappeared, leaving only the smooth, clean mahogany wood of the table as the meal's surface. Not a single cup, plate, or centerpiece had changed position – it was as though there had never been a tablecloth at all. _But how…how…?_

The answer was standing calmly at the foot of the table, right beside Ciel's chair – Sebastian was holding the tablecloth in his arms, folded in such a way so that the spilled wine could not be seen. His expression was cool and collected, as though there were nothing at all unusual about the situation. Lucy stared at him in bewilderment, barely registering the fact that a barely-conscious Maylene was being dragged back into the mansion by Bard and Finny – they must've been hiding in the bushes, watching. _How? How did Sebastian do it?_ The only explanation she could come up with was that Sebastian had somehow pulled the tablecloth out from under the contents of the table, without them moving an inch, during the ten or fifteen seconds when Damian's attention was elsewhere. But was that even…possible?

Lucy roused herself from her thoughts just in time to hear Ciel say calmly, "I saw a small speck of dirt on the tablecloth, so I had it removed. I didn't want it to distract us."

Sebastian bowed deeply, still holding the ruined cloth. "My deepest apologies, sir. Please pay it no mind and enjoy the rest of your meal."

Damian stared at him for a long moment before bursting out laughing once more. "Well…I'm staggered, Lord Phantomhive! What a truly able butler you have!"

Ciel shrugged his shoulders slightly, smiling coolly. "He merely did what is proper as my servant."

"My master is quite right," Sebastian added. His smile took on a bizarre countenance, as though he were laughing at some private joke. "You see, I am simply one 'hell' of a butler." Ciel shot him a strange look.

_One hell of a butler_…he said that a lot. Lucy wasn't quite sure why he said it, or if there was some deeper meaning to it, but looking at him now, after all he had done to make this night perfect…there was no truer statement than that.

Lucy's head suddenly swam, and her face turned pale; she'd been holding her breath without realizing it. She slumped back in her seat, gasping for air, overcome by relief and exhaustion. Her skin felt unnaturally warm; all the excitement had given her a fever.

"Ah! Signora Luciana!" Damian exclaimed in horror, leaping up from his chair.

Ciel remained seated, but he looked concerned. "What's the matter, Lucy?"

"Oh…n-nothing," Lucy said faintly, smiling weakly at her cousin. _Is he just keeping up appearances…or is he really concerned?_ "J-Just…i-it's been a r-rather long day…I'm a bit tired. That's all."

Ciel sighed deeply, shaking his head. "This is getting ridiculous. You're still recovering your last illness, and you've had too much stimulation today. I was foolish not to see it earlier." He looked up at his butler. "Sebastian, take her inside. Have her lie down in the guest room, and then call the hospital and have Madame Red come pick her up."

"Yes, My Lord." Sebastian bowed to his master, walked around the table to where Lucy was sitting, helped her out of her chair, and began leading her up the path towards the mansion, one hand holding hers, the other on her waist for support. Of course, this did nothing for Lucy's light-headedness.

"I hope your health improves soon, Signora!" Damian called after her.

"Right, thank you," Lucy muttered, her bile rising a bit at his voice. Honestly, enough was enough.

Sebastian chuckled softly, but his expression became serious once more when Lucy looked up at him. "Please do forgive my grave error, Lady Luciana. I ought to have realized that you were under such great stress. In hindsight, it is only natural that you fell ill once again. My deepest and most sincere apologies, My Lady."

"I-It's all right, S-Sebastian," Lucy replied feebly, feeling her cheeks redden. "Y-You had enough to w-worry about. I was r-really impressed w-with the dinner."

"You flatter me, Lady Luciana." By this time, they had reached the mansion; Sebastian led her inside and firmly shut the door before speaking again, more softly this time. "I can imagine that speaking to Master Damian in such a manner was extremely uncomfortable for you, My Lady, but your cunning distraction gave me the time I needed to remedy Maylene's blunder. Your actions may have very well saved this night. I am most appreciative."

"It…it was nothing," Lucy whispered, embarrassed. Still, Sebastian's grateful smile was making her feel better already. No wonder Maylene had had such trouble; she doubted she'd have been able to do any better.

* * *

_A flash of fire…a young boy's scream…blood running down her arms…and a face, a sweet, loving face stretched wide and pale in death…_

Lucy let out a horrified gasp and woke with a start, shooting up into a sitting position. She was shaking all over, and was covered in a cold sweat. She felt dazed and confused; it took her a few minutes before she realized what was going on.

Sebastian had brought her to the guest bedroom and served her some tea and broth to quell her slight fever. She'd been able to keep them both down, so she'd told Sebastian to go back to the dinner party. She supposed she must've fallen asleep after that…and then came the nightmare.

She had the nightmare at least once a week, and it was always the same thing – the night she'd lost her memories and woken up, alone and unaware, in the fires of her dying village. Except, in this nightmare, the man in black did not come to save her, and she lay in the burning, hellish village for eternity…Lucy shuddered at the memory.

And then…the dream always bothered her, but there was something else that sent a chill up her spine. There was something different this time, a fresh horror in the years-old nightmare – she had seen a dead body lying in front of her, bearing the face of the gypsy woman who had haunted her since that afternoon.

The woman who quite possibly could have been her mother…

Of course, this didn't mean she'd actually witnessed her mother die, Lucy rationalized, hugging her knees. After all, that had never been part of the dream before. She'd never even seen that face before today; perhaps it had only been in it because she'd been thinking about it most of the day. She couldn't even be sure that the face belonged to her mother.

_But…there's a way I could find out_.

An idea slowly began to form in Lucy's feverish brain. She'd only looked at the picture in that book for a few seconds, and she'd been able to remember a face – moreover, she'd had it appear in a dream! What would happen if she looked at _more _pictures, in _more _books, for _much _longer? She might be able to remember more things about her mother – her real face, her voice…maybe even her name!

Excitement coursing through her weakened body, and forgetting that she needed to rest, Lucy leapt out of bed and staggered out of the room, breathing hard from effort and anticipation.

If she had been in her right mind, she might've noticed that the room was unusually dark, or how strangely the wind was howling, or the eerie silence that covered the whole mansion. Maybe she would have been able to sense the dark magic that hung heavy in the air. But as it was, she was feverish and delusional, and did not notice any of things. She only spared a single thought to the darkness of the hall (_It's a bit early for Sebastian to turn off the lamps, isn't it?_) before stumbling down the hall in the direction of the library.

Unlike most of the mansion's residents and visitors, Lucy didn't need a light on to get around; she'd been visiting the manor every day for almost three years (and its identical predecessor for another three years) and knew it even better than her own home. She hadn't gotten lost since the days of Earl Vincent Phantomhive. So you can imagine her surprise when she opened the door to what she thought was the library…and ended up in the game room.

"What?" she whispered, frowning in confusion. "But the game room is on the _first_ floor…I was so sure this was the library…perhaps I took a wrong turn…" The fuzziness of illness fading slightly, Lucy retraced her steps and turned right at the portrait of a young Vincent and Frances. _This has to be it_, she thought confidently, approaching another door.

But it wasn't. And neither were the third, fourth, fifth, or six doors she tried. Starting to panic, Lucy looked frantically up and down the hall; nothing looked familiar. How was it that the entire mansion had rearranged itself in only a few hours?

_No, that's impossible_, Lucy thought firmly, forcing herself to calm down. _My sense of direction is messed up, that's all. I must be feeling worse than I thought. I should go back to the guest room and lie down…if I can find it. _She was starting back down the hallway, trying to ignore how dark it was and how heavily the silence hung in the air…

…when a horrid crash echoed from somewhere deep in the mansion, followed by a scream of pain.

Lucy jumped in surprise and whirled around, her wide, fear-filled eyes trying to make out any movement in the darkness. "Who's there?" she called out, her voice high-pitched and shaky with terror.

There was no answer; the suffocating silence had descended upon her once more. Her breathing became harsh and irregular, and her heart was pounding a waltz against her chest. This darkness…this silence…the scream…the fear…it was so like that horrid night…without a second's thought, Lucy took off running down the hall, desperate to leave the darkness behind.

It felt like she had been running for an eternity when she reached the end of the hallway – a _dead _end. Lucy glanced around in a panic, turning left and right, but there was nowhere else to run to. _But I _can't_ stop now…I can't…the darkness…it's all around me…_She shrank against the wall and fell to the floor, hugging her knees to her chest and whimpering softly. _It's too dark…it's too quiet…too much like _then_…no…I don't want to go back there…make it stop…MAKE IT STOP!_

Lucy's inner pleadings screeched to a halt as another bloodcurdling scream filled the air, accompanied this time by a rather odd smell…a painfully familiar smell that nearly stopped Lucy's heart.

The smell of burning flesh.

"AAAAAAAARRRRRRGH! NOOOOOOOO!"

The walls of the mansion were stripped away in a blaze of flame, and she found herself once again in the Hell of her first world: the world of fire, blood, and death. She could see the burning buildings, smell the blood and burning bodies, hear the dying gasps of men and women she didn't know…her mind was empty of all thought, feeling, and memory, as though she were nothing more than a doll…the old questions that had haunted her for so long began ricocheting back and forth around her blank brain: _Where am I? Who am I? What am I? Why don't I know? Why is this happening? Why…_why_…?_

"My goodness, what a horrible mess."

Lucy's eyes snapped open to behold a tall figure stepping out of the hungry orange flames. He was dressed all in black, and his face was covered by the collars of his coat and the low brim of his top hat. His voice was low and deep, and it calmed Lucy's sporadically-beating heart almost instantly. And he was _alive_ – a living creature left with her in this world of death…did he have the answers she so desperately sought?

The figure slowly approached her and knelt down so that he was mere inches from her, but she wasn't afraid. "My, how horrible," he murmured gently, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. "How dreadfully frightening it must have been for you, dear lady, to be alone here in this state." He leaned even closer, so that when he next spoke, she could feel his hot, sweet breath on her face. "But you need not be frightened any more, My Lady. I am here, now, and I shall never leave you. I swear to you, I shall protect you until the very end."

Lucy's heart slowed; her breathing returned to normal; the fever in her blood seemed to cool; she leaned forward and rested her head against his shoulder. She felt, for the first time, completely and utterly at peace. What did it matter that she didn't know who she was? What did it matter that the world around her was nothing more than death? As long as this man was here, everything would be okay.

The man chuckled softly, and Lucy felt the ground shift beneath her; the man had picked her up and was holding her as though she were something precious made of glass. "Be at peace, My Lady," he whispered, his lips brushing gently against her ear. "I shall take you away from this frightful place. You will be among those who love you, and will protect you." He turned and slowly began walking back down the bloody path, shielding his charge from the raging fire. Lucy wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling her eyelids grow heavy…

And then the man said something quite strange, something that seemed quite out of place in this scene of horror. "I imagine that dousing the lamps was poor judgment on my part, wouldn't you say, Lady Luciana? I am terribly sorry; I can see now that you have been given a terrible fright because of it. If you'll permit it…" He snapped his fingers.

Instantly, as though turning off a projector, the scene changed and became real once more. The dim light of the gas lamps showed, not the burning ruins of a cursed village, but the warm, enclosed Phantomhive mansion, exactly the way she remembered. She was not a doll, but a living, breathing, thinking human being with six full years of memories of a home and family. And the man who held her so tenderly in his arms was not the man from that night, but…

"S-Sebastian!" she gasped in wonder. The fever was back in full force, her head was swimming in fog, and she was barely conscious, but even if she were on the brink of death would she be able to recognize that dark hair, that crisp suit, that calm smile.

Said smile widened a bit at her exclamation. "Of course, My Lady," he affirmed, inclining his head in her direction. "Were you expecting anyone else?"

Lucy gaped unabashedly at him, her mouth opening and closing like a fish's. His voice…his touch…the very words he'd just said…everything matched the man in black who had saved her. Why hadn't she seen it before? It was so obvious. "You…" she choked out finally, "you saved me."

Sebastian chuckled again. "I believe that to be a bit of an overstatement, My Lady. I am positive that once you had calmed down, you would have easily found your way back to the guest room in no time at –"

"No." Lucy slowly shook her head, still staring at Sebastian as though she had never seen him before. "No. Not tonight. Before. You're that man. You took me out of the fire. You brought me to Madame Red's. That was _you_."

Sebastian was silent for a long moment before smirking. "I do not deny it."

Lucy jumped, as though coming out of a trace, and leaned her head back against his shoulder. She supposed there were all sorts of questions she should be asking – what had happened that night, what some of her memories were, why he had been there in the first place – but when she opened her mouth, all she could say was, "I'm glad…so glad…"

Sebastian had saved her all those years ago. He was the Beginning. His soul was linked with hers. It was okay to love him. She'd never felt so happy in her entire life.

She was suddenly aware of the sound of a door opening, and she looked up to see Sebastian enter the darkened parlor, where Ciel was waiting in his chair. "Did you find her?" he called out, not looking up from his board game, which was still out on the table.

"Yes, Young Master." Sebastian strode into the room and carefully deposited Lucy on Damian's empty chair. He then crossed the room and fetched a blanket to drape around her shoulders. "Regrettably, she suffered a rather nasty shock, owing to a mixture of familiar and unpleasant circumstances and her prior illness."

Ciel scowled up at him. "It's your own fault, idiot."

"My apologies, Young Master. I was unaware that she had left the guest room."

"Humph. Just get out, you've done enough damage. Come back when Madame Red arrives."

"Certainly, My Lord." He left.

Lucy hadn't understood a word of that, and right then, she didn't care; she just wanted to lie back and sleep…but, of course, Ciel wasn't going to let her go that easily. "I'm strongly against the idea of stupid questions, so I won't ask if you're all right, but I want to know what happened just now."

Lucy shook her head weakly, her eyes closed. "I don't know…I left the guest room to go to the library, but I suppose I got lost…and then I heard screaming, and I just started thinking about that night six years ago, and –" A realization struck her and she bolted upright, ignoring the fresh wave of dizziness. "Ciel, what happened to Signore Damian? Was he the one screaming earlier? What about the dinner? Did everything go –"

Ciel held up a hand to silence. His normally petulant and pouty mouth was now stretched into an evil smirk. "If you really want to know, look out the window."

Bewildered, Lucy slowly leaned over the arm of her chair to peer out of the window. She had a good view of the path; the full moon lit up the outdoors brilliantly. A dark figure was furiously limping along it, dragging one leg behind it; as Lucy watched, it stumbled and fell, but quickly righted itself and doubled its lopsided pace. For the third time, she heard a piercing scream, but this time, she could make out the words, "_Mamma mia~!_" It was Damian.

Lucy turned back to her cousin, her eyes wide with horror. "How did – what did –?"

Ciel laughed – not the innocent giggle of his childhood, but one that was cruel and mocking. "What an ugly scream. He sounds like a pig being taken out to slaughter. Don't you agree, cousin?"

"What did you _do_ to him?" Lucy managed to say.

Ciel raised an eyebrow, but his smirk widened considerably. "I simply let him have the full Phantomhive treatment. And trust me, he deserved it."

"_What_?"

"Damian," Ciel explained, moving a game piece forward, "is not the man I thought he was. It turns out that he sold my factory in India about six months ago without telling me. And, as you saw earlier, he even went so far as to ask for more money."

Lucy's face fell. "How awful…and the workers?"

"Most likely destitute, now. The job market in India isn't exactly thriving."

"Awful," Lucy whispered again. "But Ciel, I don't understand what it is that you – Ciel?"

The young earl didn't answer; his working eye was staring intently at his game piece, which had now reached the final square on the board: a picture of a smiling, happy family bearing the words, "Happily Ever After." Ciel made a face and knocked the piece over vehemently. Looking up at his foster cousin's concerned face, he leaned back in his chair and repeated softly, "Something once lost…can never return."

"That's not true, Ciel."

Ciel looked up in surprise and stared at her, shocked by the strength of her conviction. Lucy, too, seemed amazed by her bold statement, but she continued. "I-It's true that some things that _physically _leave don't come back…but they're still there. Even when our loved ones die, as long as we still love them and keep thinking about them, they never really leave us." She smiled shyly. "And besides, I can't start believing in something like that. Otherwise, how can I ever believe my memories will come back one day?"

Ciel was quiet for a long time, staring off into space, before he shook himself slightly and spoke again. "…I just realized something. You never told me what your fourth wish was."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Your fourth wish. Earlier, you were telling me you had four wishes that would make you happy. I heard three of them. What was the last one?"

Lucy's already fever-flushed face darkened further. "O-Oh…w-w-well…i-it's stupid, really…it w-won't come t-t-true or anything…b-but…y-you know how I said I w-wasn't ready for m-m-marriage?"

Ciel sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Stop right there. I don't need to hear about some silly little crush."

Lucy suddenly felt irritated. It _wasn't _just a crush. It couldn't be. Well, it might have been that morning, but it wasn't anymore. Not after tonight.

As though her thoughts had summoned him, Sebastian suddenly opened the door and bowed deeply. "Pardon the intrusion –"

Lucy didn't get to hear the rest; she was too focused on the red blur that zoomed across the room and crushed her in a bear hug to rival Finny's. "Ack! Mada – M-Mother!" she gasped, coughing.

"Oh, Lucy, honey, I came as soon as I heard!" Madame Red said anxiously, pulling back from the hug to feel her forehead. "Oh, dear, you're simply burning up! Didn't I tell you to take it easy?"

"I'm sorry, Mother. I just…" She smiled weakly. "…I've had a busy day today."

Madame Red sighed deeply, shaking her head in frustration. "Honestly, you get too excited whenever you're here…Ciel, you should know better than to make her upset when she's so frail!"

"I'm sorry, Madame," Ciel said flatly, not taking his eyes off the game board.

The Madame had barely heard. "Really, now, if this wasn't the only option…"

"Oh, but Mother, I like it here!" Lucy said quickly, smiling sincerely. "And I know I took it too far today, and I'm sorry, but…I had a really great time today, and I really hope I can come back soon."

"Certainly," Ciel replied before Madame Red could speak. "You're always welcome here, cousin."

"Yes, it is a true pleasure to serve you, Lady Luciana," Sebastian added from the doorway, bowing.

Lucy smiled, and once more, visions danced before her eyes, distorting the room. They weren't of fire and blood this time, but of _donburi_ bowls and irises…

Irises.

Lucy's eyes snapped open, and the room immediately swam back into focus. "The irises," she said out loud, looking as though she'd just realized something extremely important.

Madame Red frowned. "Irises, dear? What irises?"

"We had them planted to fit the theme of tonight's dinner," Sebastian explained. "Were they to your liking, Lady Luciana?"

Lucy stared at him for a long moment before replying. "You…you told Finny to buy iris _bulbs_."

Something flashed briefly in Sebastian's eyes, but his smile and tone were normal. "I did indeed. Unfortunately, the garden shop did not have any in stock, and so Finnian brought back full-grown flowers to plant."

"Yes, of course that would be it," Madame Red said cheerily, grinning at Lucy. "Irises can't grow _that _quickly, after all."

Lucy wasn't convinced. "B-But why ask for bulbs in the first –"

"Madame Red," Ciel broke in, his voice sounding oddly cold. "I'm no doctor, of course, but it looks like Lucy needs to get home and rest _now_."

"Oh…yes, of course," Madame Red said quickly. "I'd nearly forgotten…come, dear, I'll help you to the carriage…"

Lucy looked over at Sebastian as she gingerly got up from the chair. She supposed Sebastian's story was the only real explanation. After all, hell of a butler or not, there was no way he could make two dozen plants grow from bulbs in two hours…

…right?

* * *

As always, reviews are appreciated!

Oh, and you feel so inclined, you can check out my profile page for the link to my new deviantART account, where I'll be posting mediocre Morningstar fan art!

And by the way, I'd like to hear your opinions on what I should use for Sebastian's pet name. I realize that, in 19th century England, "Sebas-chan" is out of the question, but I refuse to use "Bassy". I'm mulling over "Sebby" or "Sebbykins" right now. What do you all think?


	5. Chapter 4: That Girl, Anxious

Thank God for snow days! Now I just need to dig myself out so I can go buy Black Butler v. 4...

My stats page tells me that this story has OVER ONE THOUSAND HITS! 0.0 Wow, guys...I haven't even written the good parts yet! Thanks so much!

Since the last chapter was posted, animechick247 finished her fanart and posted it on deviantART. The link is on my profile page. It looks AMAZING - exactly how I imagined Lucy would look. Thanks again!

Kuroshitsuji / Black Butler © Yana Toboso, Square Enix, A-1 Pictures, Yen Press, and FUNimation Entertainment. The following is a fan-made story written for entertainment purposes only. No profits are being made. Please support the official release.

* * *

It was more than a week after the ill-fated dinner that Lucy was deemed well enough to return to the Phantomhive Manor, and it was just her luck that she returned in time for one of the mansion's rare parties. _Wonderful._

An antisocial and temperamental lone wolf (no doubt resulting from his unknown experiences directly following the fire), Ciel rarely attended parties, and invited large numbers of people into his home even less frequently. Like his cousin, he considered the regular social dealings of upper-class British society to be both pointless and incredibly stupid. Still, as an earl, he had to put up with balls, weddings, birthday parties…and other, lesser-known meetings of a chosen few. Lucy didn't realize until she arrived that this particular gathering was one of those: a gathering of the "Evil Noblemen."

Of course, the nobles weren't exactly _evil_ – they all had their own personal problems, certainly, but the word "evil" was symbolic of their special jobs outside of their nobility. Each of them, hand-picked by Queen Victoria herself, helped maintained law and order by policing the darker, crime-filled side of England, known as the Underworld. They were all cunning, determined, dedicated, and extremely important to the nation's well-being – and none more so than Ciel Phantomhive. As Lucy had discovered shortly after the accident, the Phantomhive family had directly served the monarchy for generations, taking on the most foul, challenging, and dangerous cases the Underworld had to offer. For that reason, the heads of the family would traditionally be known as "the Queen's Watchdogs," and like the earldom and Funtom Company, Ciel had inherited this title from his late father.

Lucy was astonished that the Queen allowed a twelve-year-old boy to involve himself with the terrors of the other side, and insisted that he had enough to deal with. She had already made a good many efforts to talk Ciel out of his service, but all she had accomplished was to make Ciel angry. _The Phantomhives have served the Queen as her Watchdog for thousands of years, _he had huffed. _I do not intend to break the chain and disappoint Her Highness just to make you feel better_. Madame Red held a similar view to Lucy, but as an evil noble herself, she knew that nothing could be done. So, Lucy had to deal with the fact that her beloved little cousin was a ruthless, cold-hearted soldier who ruined lives and dealt with violence and death for a living.

Lucy was not an evil noble herself, but as a relative of one, she was permitted to sit in on the meeting that day, provided that she kept silent and told no one outside what was going on there. She supposed that there would be at least one patriotic Englishman who would have gladly given an arm and a leg to be here, but she wasn't quite so willing to give up her limbs. In fact, she found the meeting terribly boring and more than a little frightening.

For starters, although she recognized almost everyone here, she was not well-acquainted with anyone except for Ciel and Madame Red. Her daily readings of the _Times _and her foster mother's endless gossip, however, were enough to know that Baron Bath was sitting in the chair next to hers, gobbling down every edible thing in sight as usual, and that Lord Randall, the stern-faced commissioner of Scotland Yard, was now taking his turn at billiards (as always, Ciel had paired business with a game). There was another man playing, as well – a fair-haired Italian with a nasty scar across his face. According to Madame Red, his name was Azzurro Vanel, and he worked for a trading company controlled by the Ferro family, who were rumored to be in cahoots with the Mafia.

Vanel wasn't the only shipping tycoon in attendance; Lucy immediately recognized the man sitting languidly on the couch as Lau, the head of the British branch of the Chinese trading company Kunlun. She was a bit more familiar with him than the others, as Lau was a friend of the family and often visited both the Phantomhive and Durless households (he seemed to know her on sight as well – he had given her a rather cheery wave upon walking in). He was a cheerful, happy-go-lucky yes-man who was always seen wearing a traditional Chinese _Tangzhuang_ and with his eyes so narrow that they looked almost closed (though whether it was from ethnicity or choice, Lucy didn't know). He was always frequently seen with at least one scantily-clad, curvaceous Oriental girl, and today was no exception – he had brought along a silent-but-voluptuous woman named Ran-Mao, who was apparently his favorite. He had brought her with him on his visits on multiple occasions, which allowed her and Lucy to identify each other easily; Ran-Mao had given the sickly noble a curt nod before settling herself on Lau's lap.

Madame Red, meanwhile, was leaning against the wall next to Lucy's chair, casting occasional glances downward to make sure her foster daughter was still conscious. She too was holding a billiards stick, but had backed out of the game twenty minutes ago; she wasn't exactly good at it. Even Grell was here, fidgeting nervously from his place in the corner; Madame Red didn't trust him to be alone in the house anymore, after he had accidentally set the curtains on fire.

Ciel was sitting in a grand armchair near the head of the game table, one leg crossed over the other and a self-satisfied smirk on his face. Naturally, he was also playing, but he had skipped his turn twice in a row; Lucy imagined he was waiting until the moment where he could sink all the balls in one blow.

Like the meeting with Damian, Ciel was insistent that his guests play a game with him before discussing business, but oddly enough, everyone seemed to agree. It was a bit funny how enthusiastic they were, actually…it took Lucy a good five minutes to realize that they didn't want to talk about Underworld business because s_he_, a regular British citizen, was present. The idea made her feel a bit depressed.

Although, now that she thought about it, there could have been other reasons why the Evil Noblemen were reluctant to get down to business; maybe they couldn't concentrate. There _had _been an unusual amount of crashes and screams throughout the morning. From what Lucy had been able to pick up through the closed door, it sounded like Finny, Maylene, and Bard were chasing after a rat. There had been an abnormally large number of rats plaguing London that summer, but it she didn't expect to see them so far out of city limits. They'd even been having a rat problem in their own house…not that Lucy minded. Plague and pestilence aside, she thought the rats themselves were actually kind of cute.

"Quite the commotion out there," Lord Randall observed after a particularly loud screech from Finny. "It seems you have a rat problem here as well." Ciel made no sign that he had heard, and Randall's eye twitched slightly in annoyance. He seemed to have little patience for the young lord.

"Speaking of which, how long do you intend to let those vermin run wild?" Baron Bath asked accusatorially, spraying crumbs everywhere. "Those filthy monsters do nothing but spread famine and disease!" He took another bite of his sandwich pointedly.

"'Run wild?'" Lau echoed disbelievingly from the couch. "Isn't he just waiting for the right time to exterminate them?"

"Yes, he always aims to settle things with one blow," Madame Red added coolly. She glanced over at her nephew. "Will you pass on this turn, too, Lord Phantomhive?"

Ciel nodded once. "Pass. It's not my policy to hit balls that I can't sink."

"Never mind the pompous talk," Randall huffed impatiently. "When will you exterminate the vermin?"

"Anytime you like. The rats are already sinking their fangs into their forbidden cheese, and let's not forget that I hold the key to their storehouse."

Lucy frowned in bewilderment. "Storehouse?" she blurted out before she could stop herself. "Are we still talking about rats?"

There was a beat of silence as everyone turned to look at her. Randall and Bath cleared their throats rather loudly and began talking animatedly about the weather. Vanel scoffed quietly and took a draught of his cigar, while Lau smiled in an amused sort of way. Grell began to fidget even harder, and Ciel rolled his good eye in exasperation.

Madame Red bent down so that she was eye-level with her adopted daughter, smiling a bit too widely. "Lucy, darling, why don't you go outside and play for a little while? The fresh air will do you good!"

Go out and _play_? How old did the Madame think she was? Still, Lucy could take a hint; blushing furiously, she curtsied and quickly left the room, closing the door behind her with a sharp snap.

Resisting the temptation to press her ear against the door and listen, Lucy leaned back and looked around, desperate for a distraction from her humiliation. It seemed she and Randall had been right about the servants' war on the rodents; everywhere she looked, she saw sprung mousetraps, splatters of a strange-looking slop (no doubt cooked by Bard to poison the rats), and bizarre smudges on the floor that looked suspiciously like cat's paw prints. That could be a problem – Ciel was deathly allergic to cats. Sebastian, on the other hand, loved furry little felines of all kinds; he never passed up an opportunity to admire and cuddle a kitten. He'd be thrilled to learn there were cats in the house.

_Well_, Lucy found herself thinking sadly, _at least one of us will be_.

She'd screwed up again. No one ever took Ciel seriously, and now she'd made it worse by making a fool of herself in front of his guests. She wouldn't be surprised if the Phantomhives and Durlesses would be joked about by the Evil Noblemen for years to come. Why hadn't she just kept her mouth shut? What did it matter to her what Ciel was doing as the Watchdog? He had already made it very clear that he didn't want her involved, so why did she speak up so stupidly like that?

Lucy suddenly glanced up in surprise; while she had been miserably interrogating herself, her feet had, of their own accord, dragged her away from the game room. She was now in one of the upper hallways, standing before a stretch of windows that enabled a fantastic panoramic view of the front gardens. These windows were polished to the point of reflectiveness daily – looking closer, Lucy could see that the ridiculous hat the Madame had forced her to wear was about to slip off her head. She grudgingly realigned it, but as soon as she removed her hand, the hat mockingly slid back to its precarious position. Frustration mounting, she reset it again, but the hat nearly fell again. This happened another three or four times before she let out a cry of frustration and slammed her forehead against the window.

It was that damn ponytail. She'd told Grell that she wanted to fix her hair herself that morning, but the ponytail was screwing up the hat. Yet another thing she was worthless at. "Why do I always have to mess everything up?" she mumbled hopelessly.

She suddenly felt a tugging at her hairline and heard a voice whisper in her ear, "Most likely through a combination of independence and inquisitiveness, My Lady."

This soft, gently-teasing voice acted as the equivalent of a gunshot by Lucy's ear. The girl jumped and clumsily spun around, her heart beating a tattoo against her ribcage. "S-S-Sebastian!" she gasped, her face turning from sickly-white to bright scarlet.

The butler, whom had snuck up behind her without so much as a sound, placed a hand over his heart and bowed low, smiling a bit too broadly, as though amused by her reaction. "I am deeply sorry for startling you, Lady Luciana," he said courteously. "I noticed you were having trouble with your hat, and thought I might be of assistance."

Lucy tentatively reached up to feel the top of her head. Her ponytail was tied slightly lower – Sebastian must have redone it in only a few seconds, with her barely even feeling it – and her hat was now back in its proper place, fitting rather snugly. "You fixed it!" she said, blushing a little harder. Of course he could have fixed it; that was nothing compared to the stirring performance at the dinner party last week. She should have been able to do it herself, as well. She was starting to feel extremely silly about the whole thing.

Sebastian simply smiled. "I serve the Phantomhive family – if I couldn't do this much, then what sort of butler would I be?"

"Er…right…" She looked away and spotted the smudge her forehead had made on the wall – no cracks, but it was enough to send a shiver down her spine. Would Sebastian get angry at her for giving him more work to do? "E-Eh, I'm s-sorry about the w-window…"

To her immense relief, Sebastian's smile did not fade or lose its polite warmth. "There is no need to apologize, My Lady," he assured her, deftly removing a handkerchief from the breast pocket of his tailcoat. With one quick swipe, the window had been restored to its glossy, unblemished state. "These windows have seen far worse than a mere smudge. Only three days ago, Finnian somehow managed to crash one of the carriages through them."

Lucy winced. "Oh, my…b-but everything t-turned out okay, didn't it?"

"Indeed. As you can see," Sebastian said, gesturing to the window, "the windows have been expertly restored so that not a single scratch remains. The carriage, too, has been repaired after much effort, and the horses pulling it at the time were uninjured, although they are still a bit nervous."

Lucy blinked a couple times in rapid succession. "And…and Finny?" she prompted, wondering how it was that Sebastian had neglected to mention him.

"Ah, yes," Sebastian replied, and his expression hardened slightly. "As you are well aware, Finnian has quite the hard head, and sustained no physical injury from that particular escapade."

"I…I see," Lucy said, wondering vaguely how badly the poor gardener had been punished for that one.

She mentally ran over what Sebastian had said and considered asking whether Sebastian had called in a specialist or (miraculously and quite unbelievably) made the repairs himself, but before she could open her mouth, Sebastian spoke again. "My Young Master has asked me to escort you downstairs to the parlor. Many of his guests have already left the manor; however, Master Lau, Madame Red, and yourself have been invited to stay for a cup of tea."

"O-Oh," Lucy said nervously, wringing her hands together. They had left already? What a short meeting…or had it been because of her? "E-Er, Sebastian…did Ciel seem…angry about anything when you left?"

"No more so than usual, My Lady," Sebastian said cheerily. His ever-present smile had taken on an almost mocking quality.

A servant laughing at his master behind his back…Lucy wasn't one for propriety, but even she knew that that was just wrong. At the moment, though, she honestly didn't care; she was too relieved that Ciel wasn't furious with her. A little miffed, maybe, but not furious. That was something, right? "That's good," she said quietly, a small smile on her face. "I'm glad…er…shall we, then?" she said nervously, gesturing feebly down the hall. Now that she was less worried about Ciel's attitude, she focus on a more pressing issue: trying to stand in the presence of the man she adored without making a total fool of herself like she usually did.

Sebastian's smile widened slightly. "It would be my honor, Lady Luciana." With a slight bow, he turned and started down the hall, glancing over his shoulder to be sure his charge was keeping up all right. Lucy blushed and followed.

The first few minutes were passed in relative silence. Lucy was inwardly practicing the apology she would make to her cousin when Sebastian suddenly spoke, making her jump a little in surprise. "You seem troubled by something, Lady Luciana. Do you wish to talk about it?"

Lucy blushed harder and looked down at her trembling hands. "E-E-Eh…thank you, S-Sebastian, b-but…I'd r-really rather not…"

"As you wish," he replied. "However, if you do change your mind…" He looked down at her, and his orange-brown eyes seemed much warmer than usual. "…please know that you may tell me anything."

Lucy stared at him for a few minutes and, before she knew what was happening, blurted out the whole story: how she had been forced to sit in on the meeting, how everyone had begun speaking about rats in what (she realized now) was some sort of strange code, how Ciel had mentioned a storage key, how she had thought everything was meant to be taken literally and asked about the key, how everyone had stared at her as though she'd sprouted an extra head, how Madame Red had virtually chased her from the room, how Ciel had glared at her so disapprovingly…and throughout the whole story, Sebastian listened quietly, without a single word or judgment. Words couldn't express how grateful she was for that.

"…and I'm so worried about my cousin, and I just want him to be happy and successful in his work, but I always manage to mess it up for him by doing something unbelievably stupid, so I wouldn't be surprised if this was the last straw and he hates me now," she finished with as much dignity as she could muster. Her eyes felt hot and prickly; she could feel the tears coming.

Sebastian smiled soothingly down at her. "I highly doubt that to be the case, My Lady," he assured her gently.

Lucy shook her head. "No, Sebastian, I'm _sure_ he does. He used to be such a cheerful and carefree little boy, but now he blows up at the slightest thing. Ever since…well…I know it wasn't his choice, and of course I'm not blaming him, but…he gets so much angrier so easily ever since he came back."

Sebastian nodded. "I agree."

"What I mean to say," Lucy went on, her eyes growing bright with suppressed tears, "is that if anyone else were to say that sort of thing in an important meeting of his influential peers, he would have hated them for life. Why should I be any different?"

Sebastian placed a gentle hand on her shoulder; Lucy stiffened up, her face pink. "Because, My Lady," he murmured, looking straight into her eyes, "you are his cousin. If you please, Lady Luciana," he said with just a hair more firmness, for Lucy had shook her head and tried to look away, "you and my Young Master may not be related by blood, but all the same, he considers you to be a member of his family. You are one of the last remnants of his happy childhood, and he wishes to hold onto that memory within you. He may not show it, but he cares for you very much."

Lucy had to look away; she didn't know how much longer she could hold back her tears, and the last thing she wanted was to have Sebastian see her cry. Sebastian tactfully pulled out a fresh handkerchief and handed it to her. His eyes showed no trace of teasing or disdain.

"Moreover," he continued kindly, turning back again to lead her down the grand foyer staircase, "I am quite positive that the Young Master, along with myself, can see the wonder in the aspects of your personality that you seem to take pleasure in undermining."

Lucy blinked in confusion, wiping her eyes. "I-I don't understand…" she stammered, her voice hoarse from the lump in her throat.

Sebastian smiled. "Oh, dear…were you not paying attention when I first spoke to you, My Lady?" He chuckled quietly at the girl's bewildered look and continued. "When I came across you in the hallway, you were cursing yourself for, seemingly and in your point of view, being unable to properly perform a task, which, by the way, is quite the misguided view. The reason for this is most likely because of two complementary aspects of your personality, aspects that quite likely are not held by any other young lady in England."

Lucy couldn't remember what these things were, but she seriously doubted that last statement. Nevertheless, she politely asked Sebastian to continue.

"With pleasure, My Lady. Now, this first aspect is _independence_." He held up one finger. "Unlike most noblewomen, who would easily leave all tasks to their family members and servants, you take pleasure in performing tasks on your own. You do not wait for instructions or sit idly by when you are troubled; you speak up and perform what you need to perform, on your own, to fix it."

"Th-That's not being independent, Sebastian," Lucy told him quietly, blushing up a storm. "Th-That's just because I'm q-quite shy and d-don't want to trouble anyone…"

Sebastian gave her a look as though she were a mildly interesting book. "My, what an unusual view," he marveled, an unfathomable look in his eyes. "Quite untrue, as well. My goodness, Lady Luciana, you simply _must_ have more confidence in yourself."

Lucy had heard things along those lines before from Madame Red, but never from anyone else, let alone her cousin's butler. She was so surprised that she couldn't even stutter out a response. Sebastian didn't seem to mind.

"The second aspect," he continued, now holding up two fingers, "is your sense of _inquisitiveness_. You have an uncanny thirst for all forms of knowledge in all subjects. That is by no means a bad thing. Asking questions is the sign of a clever and cultured mind. However –" His face became stern. "I advise you to be careful what you ask, and of whom. There are many questions that may bring you harm. You are not a reckless woman, so I do not fear for you too much, but I must stress again that you must watch what you say."

Lucy nodded uneasily. "R-Right…I will." Sebastian's smile returned. "But, er," she continued anxiously, trying to gather her courage, "i-if it's all right with you…m-might I ask you a question now?"

"You just have, My Lady," Sebastian replied smoothly, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "But please ask another. I shall do my best to provide a satisfactory answer."

"All right." Lucy stopped walking and took a deep breath. She couldn't put this off any longer. "Sebastian…d-did you live in the same town as me?"

There was a long pause. Sebastian tilted his head very slightly the side, as though seriously considering the question. But Lucy wasn't fooled – the butler knew exactly what she was talking about, and she knew it.

Lucy was about to tell Sebastian that she was sorry for asking, and that he didn't have to answer, when Sebastian finally shook his head, his expression carefully guarded. "I did not. At the time of the incident to which I have no doubt you are referring, I was passing through your unfortunate village with the intention of visiting…" He paused for a minute, and a slow grin graced his face. "…an old friend. I was just leaving when I chanced to look over my shoulder and saw the fire. By the time I made it back, all but you had perished."

Even though it was the height of summer, Lucy felt herself shivering. After all this time, she was on the verge of getting the answers she craved…and by the sound of it, they were quite gruesome answers indeed. But she had waited six long years, and she wouldn't wait much longer. "Please, what was the name of the village?"

Sebastian smiled, apparently quite amused by her mounting enthusiasm. "I believe it was called 'Arachnophile.'"

Lucy frowned, her brow furrowed. "_Arachnophile_?"

"Indeed. Quite the repulsive name, is it not, My Lady?"

"Er…maybe a little," Lucy repeated reluctantly. It wasn't exactly _repulsive_ – it just didn't give her a good image. Still, she quickly memorized it and made a mental note to look it up in the library later. "And, er, this 'old friend' of yours," she went on, remembering how oddly Sebastian had acted earlier when they were mentioned. "She wouldn't happen to be…my mother, would she?"

She thought for a second that she had gone too far, but Sebastian's smile widened unconcernedly. "As a matter of fact, yes, she was. The two of us, shall we say, were neighbors some time ago, and got along rather well."

Lucy's heart skipped a beat. This was it. "A-And s-so," she choked out of her dry mouth, "m-my mother w-was –?"

"Are you talking about me, Lucy, dear?"

Lucy jumped about a mile. Without her noticing, they had walked all the way down to the parlor. Madame Red had been standing outside waiting for them. She was now wrapping her arms around the back of Lucy's shoulders, smiling cheerily.

"Oh, Mada – I mean, Mother…" She was about to say that she hadn't been talking about the crimson noblewoman, but she remembered just in time. "We – yes, we were."

Madame Red giggled like a schoolgirl. "Oh, is that so? I'm flattered. What were you saying, dear?"

Lucy froze. "Er…just…" She smiled sheepishly. "J-Just…gossiping a little."

Madame Red looked horrified. "_Gossiping_? About _me_? Oh, Lucy, haven't I raised you better than that? You _know _spreading rumors behind someone's back is wrong, don't you?"

Lucy stared at her. Was she really hearing this from _her_?

As though reading her thoughts, Sebastian chuckled and said quietly, "I assume, Lady Luciana, that you are to do as your mother _says_, and not as she _does_."

Madame Red laughed. "Naturally! Isn't that what all good daughters do?" Lucy didn't answer, but the Madame didn't seem to mind. "Come inside, now, Lucy, dear. We've all been waiting for you." She pressed against her shoulder and gently pushed her inside, Sebastian following and closing the door behind them.

In contrast to the crushing darkness the last time she was here, the parlor was now bright and sunny. The curtains had been drawn back, so that three carriages could be seen retreating up the road, no doubt carrying Ciel's guests. Ciel himself was sitting in a high-backed armchair before a short table, his good eye locked on Lucy as she crossed the room. Madame Red took her place opposite him, leisurely crossing her ankles. Grell was standing near the door, waiting for someone to call him. He looked slightly pink again, and was watching Sebastian nervously. Lau was seated on the couch, with Ran-Mao on his lap again. There was an empty cushion next to him, so Lucy sat down gingerly, breathing through her mouth; Lau always smelled strongly of poppy flowers.

"There you are," Ciel said to Lucy, sounding impatient. "Where have you been?"

Lucy blushed, her anxiety over the meeting returning in full force. "J…just walking around," she muttered.

Ciel gave her a long, cold stare. "Don't go wandering off on your own like that again. What if you had gotten ill again?"

Lucy blinked, confused. "Eh…right." Wasn't he going to tell her off for disrupting his meeting?

Apparently not. Ciel turned away from his cousin and picked up the tea cup Sebastian had just set before him. He took a long whiff and said shortly, "Darjeeling, isn't it?"

"Indeed, Young Master," Sebastian replied, passing out cups to the rest of the guests. "Today's tea is a Darjeeling blend from Fortnum and Mason."

Lau followed the young lord's lead and sniffed at it. "It smells delicious," he announced, smiling temperately. "Tea can be exceptional when well-brewed, hmm?" Ran-Mao nodded and took a sip.

Lucy followed suit, glancing over at Sebastian. She swallowed blandly, barely tasting the sweet brew. She had been so close to getting answers, and they'd been snatched away again. She couldn't bring the topic of her birth mother up now – she had resolved to tell no one that Sebastian had been the one who had saved her, since it would cause a lot of uncomfortable questions for the both of them (mainly from Madame Red). At the same time, she didn't want to bring it up when they were alone and incur Sebastian's unholy wrath (well, that was maybe a bit much. Still, she didn't want to annoy him).

Sighing in bitter resignation, Lucy's eyes reluctantly pulled away from the butler and immediately were attracted to the other manservant in attendance. Grell was staring openly at Sebastian with ill-disguised worship, his hands clasped in wonder and his cheeks red. Lucy raised an eyebrow and smiled into her teacup. It looked as though the homosexual theory had run out.

Madame Red followed her foster daughter's gaze and frowned sternly at her butler. "Grell," she said simply, with the air of one about to give an order.

Grell jumped and straightened up, arms held rigidly at his sides. "Ah! Y-Y-Yes?"

Madame Red regarded him coolly over the rim of her teacup. "Learn something of him."

Grell winced. "Y-Yes, Mistress," he mumbled, looking downcast.

Lucy discreetly gave him a sympathetic smile. The poor man…it wasn't his fault he was so clumsy. He could get along rather well with Finny, Bard, and Maylene.

Madame Red took a sip of tea. "That aside…" Her hand suddenly shot out and, of all things, began stroking Sebastian's backside. Her face took on a giddy, flushed look. "You really are a fine-looking man, aren't you? You should quit this silly country house and come work for me!"

The butler stiffened in alarm and shuddered slightly, still managing to keep his grip on the teapot. Ciel, Lau, and Ran-Mao stared unabashedly at the Madame, the boys with their mouths open slightly in shock. Lucy wore an expression of mingled horror and humiliation, and she immediately buried her head in her hands. _Oh, Madame Red, what in the world were you thinking? You can't just do that to your nephew's butler! _She'd never been this embarrassed in her whole life.

_But all the same_, said a nasty little voice in the back of her head, _you're jealous of her, aren't you? You wanted to touch it, too, right?_

Lucy let out a horrified little squeak and shook her head furiously. _Don't be silly…I could never…completely improper…_

Ciel finally took mercy on his servant and cleared his throat loudly. "Madame Red…"

Madame Red withdrew her hand and smiled apologetically (but not regretfully). "Oh, goodness, sorry about that! I just felt this sudden urge to pat him…a doctor's habit, maybe?"

Lucy let out a barely-audible groan and pressed her hands harder against her steaming face. Only Madame Red would feel up a man for the sake of medicine.

Madame Red took notice of her daughter's distress and smiled slyly. "But in all seriousness, I'm sure that Lucy would be _delighted_ to have Sebastian move in with us, wouldn't you, dear?"

Lucy's head snapped up, her face livid. "M-Mother! That's…I mean…I don't…!" She took a steadying gulp of tea, painfully aware of everyone's eyes upon her. "W-We already have Grell, M-Mother, and I-I am satisfied with his w-work." Grell beamed at her from the corner.

Madame Red giggled. "You really must raise your expectations, dear, or you'll end up with nothing but headaches." Grell wilted miserably. "Besides, dear, Sebastian wouldn't have to _work _for us."She smiled teasingly. "You'd be happy just to see him around the house, wouldn't you?"

Lucy swallowed her tea the wrong way and began coughing loudly, her face flushed. Were all mothers like this? She certainly couldn't recall Auntie Rachel or Auntie Frances treating their children like that (although, admittedly, Frances was a bit of a bad example – she'd sooner join the circus than tease her daughter).

"You flatter me, My Ladies," Sebastian murmured in his usual stoic tone, but he was edging away from Madame Red as though he feared another molesting.

"That's _enough_," Ciel said firmly, glowering at his aunt. "You know perfectly well, Madame, that Sebastian is under _my_ employment. Cousin Lucy comes here nearly every day, and she can see him _here_ any time she wants."

Madame Red rolled her eyes and sighed as though her heart would break. "This is why I'm so glad you're a girl, Lucy. Boys don't understand anything, do they?" Lucy gave another hacking cough but said nothing.

Ciel frowned slightly but did not respond to his aunt – instead, he looked over at Lucy with a touch of impatience. "Well? Isn't there something you want to say, cousin?"

Lucy winced and looked over at him meekly. _I might as well get it over with…_"Ciel, I'm very sorry for disrupting your meeting," she said softly, her hands trembling a little.

She expected Ciel to gruffly accept her sentiments, or even to start shouting, but what she got was Ciel staring at her with an expression of annoyed bewilderment on his face. "What on earth are you talking about?"

Lucy blinked quizzically. "I…I spoke out of turn at your meeting! I-I wasn't chosen to police the Underworld, but I tried to find out what you were doing anyway…"

"Which is exactly what I was expecting you to ask about just now," Ciel informed her, draining his teacup. "Those fools at the meeting are more concerned with honor bestowed than duty entrusted – they consider themselves to be the elite masters of the Underworld, when in actuality, only I – the Watchdog of the Queen – pull the strings." He smiled – a cold, arrogant smirk that did not betray his young age. "I see no reason why you should not learn the particulars of this specific assignment, and my 'colleagues' have no say in the matter."

"N-Now wait just one moment!" Madame Red piped up indignantly. All traces of playfulness were gone from her face. "Lucy's too delicate to be mixed up in your work, Ciel! She's only a little girl, after all!"

"I-I'm four years older than Ciel, you know…" Lucy said quietly.

Madame Red ignored her. "Why does she need to know what's going on?"

Ciel sat back in his chair, unconcerned by his aunt's shouting. "When you adopted her, Madame, she became a lawful member of the house of Phantomhive – the house that has served the Queen and protected her law-abiding citizens for generations. As a Phantomhive, she has a right to know."

"But she_ isn't_ a Phantomhive – she's _my _daughter, so she's a Durless and Barnett!" The Madame looked over at her foster daughter for backup. "Isn't that right, dear?"

Lucy wouldn't go that far, but she wasn't so sure that Ciel wasn't making this up as he went along. "But I still don't understand, Cousin…y-you've never told me anything about your work before, so why tell me now?"

"That's a good point," Ciel admitted. "You see, many of my dealings are top-secret, known by only myself and the Queen. I couldn't afford to tell anyone of such important cases, let alone you. And let's not forget, as Madame Red has just said, that you are a delicate person, and the violence and degradation of my tasks would be too much for you."

"I…see," Lucy replied slowly, feeling a scowl darken her face. Next to social events, the one thing she hated more than anything was to be reminded of how weak she was.

Seeing his cousin's distress only widened Ciel's unnatural smirk. "However, this particular case has not been designated as for my eyes only, and as cases go, it's not all that unsettling. I believe your constitution will be able to handle this much at least."

Lucy took a deep breath. She loved her cousin, but this was toeing the line a bit. Still, a lady never loses her temper, and while Lucy in no way considered herself a lady, she knew getting angry wouldn't help matters. Besides, she was getting curious in spite of herself. "All right. S-So what exactly _is_ your assignment, Ciel?"

"A drug trafficking case. As I'm sure you're well aware, the Pharmacy Act of 1868 began restricting a number of addictive substances, including opium, from entering the country and abusing our countrymen."

"Opium?" Lucy echoed. She involuntarily glanced towards Lau, who was still reeking of poppy.

Ciel followed her gaze, his mouth twitching slightly. "Lau and I will be discussing his business choices at one point, but he is not the subject of this assignment."

Lau shook his head sadly. "What? You're accusing me? How cruel you two are!"

Ciel rolled his eye. "Your opium dens are a blatant violation of the Pharmacy Act. It's a wonder I haven't been ordered to deal with them yet."

Lau grinned. "And until that time, my lord, I shall run my business as I please."

Ciel sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "_As I was saying_, the use of opium and other drugs is too widespread to be rid of at the moment, but I have been asked to rid London of one of the more serious offenders. For the past few months, a plethora of opiates, narcotics and hallucinogens have been smuggled into the country on ships owned by the Ferro family's trading company. I have reason to believe the Mafia is involved."

"So you believe the drug trafficker was one of your guests today, my lord?" Lau asked, rising from his seat and coming to stand beside Ciel's chair (Ran-Mao had slipped into the seat beside Lucy on her own).

"Perhaps. Azzurro Vanel certainly strikes me as suspicious. However, for safety's sake, I have been ordered not to conduct a full-scale investigation. In order to draw out the trafficker, I had Sebastian retrieve the key to the Ferro's storehouse, where the drugs are being stored." Sebastian smirked a bit but said nothing. "Letting slip that I had the key during the meeting today may force Vanel – or whoever the culprit is – to act, and therefore place himself in a position to be caught."

Lucy looked from Ciel to Sebastian and back again, her eyes wide. "B-But…C-Ciel, don't you think that's…_dangerous_?" Ciel snorted humorlessly.

"I agree," Madame Red spoke up, looking concerned. "Why not leave the extermination to Lau? After all, a rat knows best where a rat's nest is."

Lau looked mock-offended. "I am a domesticated marmot, actually, dedicated to serving my lord." He bent down and placed a hand on top of the young earl's head. "And if he does not give the order, I am bound to sit by and do nothing."

Before anyone even had time to blink, Madame Red had materialized beside Ciel's chair, ripped him out of Lau's grasp, and hugged him possessively against her chest. "Hey! Keeps your paws off of my darling nephew!"

"Oh, you wound me," Lau groaned, looking like he was having the time of his life. "I wouldn't paw at him in his own home."

"You're saying that you would if you were somewhere else?" The Madame pointed accusingly at the Chinese businessman, unknowingly letting her sweet nephew, who had had the breath squeezed out of him just seconds before, drop to the floor. "You had better watch what you say in front of me, sir!"

Lucy sighed softly and finished her tea. Squabbles were inevitable with these two; Madame Red had a fiery temper that directly contrasted Lau's easygoing nature. She had long since given up on trying to talk them out of it, as the scene would replay itself every time they met. It seemed as though Ciel, too, had had enough – wordlessly, he picked himself up, brushed the dirt off of his jacket, and slowly walked out the door, looking exhaustion. Sebastian followed his master's steps and then excused himself the second Ciel was out of sight. Lucy allowed them thirty seconds before quietly slipping from the room, unnoticed by the sparring nobles.

She caught up to Sebastian just as the tail of Ciel's jacket disappeared around the corner. "Is he all right?" she asked without preamble.

Sebastian smiled calmly. "I imagine he needs some time to himself. He has been entertaining guests all day, after all, and you know how he feels about social functions." His smile of courtesy turned into one of amusement. "He is like you in that regard, My Lady."

"You think so?" Lucy responded absently, still staring off in the direction where Ciel had disappeared.

"Indeed. You and the Young Master share many different aspects of character, not least of which are your tragic pasts." He smiled oddly, as though stifling a laugh. "Unfortunately, the Young Master does not possess your capacity to cope with stress."

Lucy turned back to him, her brow furrowed. "Capacity to…I'm sorry, Sebastian, I don't understand you…"

Sebastian's smile curved into a smirk. "While both yourself, Lady Luciana, and my Young Master have suffered tragic and quite similar losses, you have never let your experiences outwardly effect you, save for a mere handful of moments on your own or with one or two intimates." He paused, his smile widening. "The Young Master, as I'm sure you can plainly see, does not share this talent."

Lucy felt her cheeks redden yet again. "I-It's not exactly a _t-talent_…I-I just don't see the point in thinking too much about it. Y…You told Madame Red that I'd r-remember at the right time…and I've already started remembering my mother's face…s-so I think, until I remember everything, I should t-try to move forward."

Sebastian was silent for a moment, but then chuckled so softly, it was like Lucy had imagined it. "Yet another similarity…"

Lucy stared at him for a long moment, waiting for the elaboration that wasn't likely to come. She knew that Ciel did not wallow in the past and was determined to move forward and never look back, and in a way, that view was like her own. But the way Sebastian was carrying on made it seem as though there was something else going on. "Sebastian…?" she prompted, perplexed.

"They went that way!"

"Catch 'em!"

Lucy started, jolted out of the serious moment, and turned to see two mice scurrying down the corridor, with the other Phantomhive servants in hot pursuit. In the lead was Bard, who appeared to have given up on the poison and was brandishing two soup ladles as weapons. Next came Maylene, her arms flailing behind her and her fingers red and crushed-looking by two ornery mousetraps. Following her was Finny, dressed quite ridiculously in a fluffy gray cat suit with a little orange kitten on his head (Sebastian perked up a little at the sight). Last of all came Tanaka, looking oblivious and carrying a large butterfly net.

Lucy was a little overwhelmed by the strangeness of the chase, and she felt sorry for the frantic-looking mice, but helping out was the courteous thing to do, after all. So, a bit reluctantly, she turned to Sebastian to ask if there was something she could do, but the words died in her throat as she saw Sebastian stiffen and drop to the ground. She gave a sharp intake of breath – was he okay? She stepped towards him…

…and before she could even blink, Sebastian straightened up again, looking completely calm and clutching the two stunned mice in his fist.

Lucy's jaw dropped. "You…how did…?"

Sebastian deposited the mice cleanly into Tanaka's butterfly net and looked sternly at the crestfallen servants. "All of you, do stop playing and get to work." The three nodded dumbly and trudged off towards their stations.

Lucy gulped and found her voice at last. "How did you _do _that?"

Sebastian smiled serenely. "Do what, My Lady?"

"That…you…you just _grabbed_ them…they were so quick…it didn't even take a second…"

Sebastian smiled smoothly. "Where would I be, as a Phantomhive butler, if I couldn't catch a few mice?"

"Er…right, okay…" Lucy replied shakily. She wondered vaguely how successful Ciel had expected to be in finding a butler after adding "superhuman reflexes" to the job description. "I, er…I think I'd fancy a walk," she mumbled and started stumbling down the hall in the direction of the back door.

"If there is anything you need, Lady Luciana, please do not hesitate to ask," Sebastian called after her, looking as though he was trying not to laugh. "I will be bringing a deep-dish apple and raisin pie to the Young Master's study shortly, and I'm sure he will share with you should you ask."

Lucy laughed uneasily. "No, thank you…I know better than to get between my cousin and his dessert…well, then…please excuse me…" And she staggered off.

_Why is it that nothing in this house makes any sense whatsoever?_

_

* * *

_

"…and he just bent over and scooped them up!" Lucy marveled, shaking her head in wonder. "I mean, I know that doesn't sound very impressive, but those mice were very fast, and he just reached down and plucked them off the floor as if they weren't moving at all! And it seems even more unbelievable when you think about all the other things he can do with no trouble at all. He just seems a bit too good to be true, doesn't he?"

Diablo gave a sympathetic sort of whinny and gently nosed Lucy's shoulder. The sickly noble had retreated to the stables after Sebastian's spectacular performance, which she had recounted in detail to the wild stallion. That was the nice thing about having a horse for an audience – no interruptions, and you were never disagreed with.

Lucy sat back against the wall, still unsettled. "Sebastian's always acted sort of strange," she murmured, more to herself than the stallion, "but lately, he's been acting more and more unbelievable. It seems like, these days, he can do anything…like's he's perfect. I'm not complaining, of course, but…" She sighed deeply. "But the strangest thing is that I think he knows more about what happened that night – about my past in general – than he's letting on. I'm sure he knows what's best, but I do wish he'd tell me…"

Diablo snorted and began munching on some hay. Lucy giggled and reached up to pat his neck. "This probably doesn't matter to you at all, does it?" The horse snorted again and swished his tail affectionately.

Lucy gave him another pat and stood up, stretching her stiff muscles. Maybe she was worrying too much. Yes, Sebastian was…_above average_…but what did that matter to her? She ought to be thankful he was so capable; he might not have been able to rescue her otherwise. Perhaps she should go apologize…yes, she'd do that. Smoothing down her dress and adjusting her hat, Lucy began to walk out of the stable, but paused with one foot in the doorway.

There was an automobile parked on the other side of the garden, quite close to the house but hidden behind a large hedge. A man was seated in the driver's seat, drumming his hands on the wheel and looking impatient. _How strange_, Lucy thought, taking a step back. _Aren't visitors supposed to come in through the front entrance?_ And come to think of it, what business did such a person have with Ciel anyway? The young lord was too arrogant to speak to the lower-class citizens without a good reason, and this man's clothes were plain and dirty. And why was he just sitting there? Lucy craned her neck for a closer look. She saw the stranger glance over towards the stables…

Quick as a flash, Lucy scrambled back against the stable wall, her heart yammering. The stranger had just pointed a gun at her!

Lucy quickly clapped her hands over her mouth, desperate to keep quiet. Sebastian had warned her that this might happen, and here it was – the mansion was being attacked! _Oh, no, oh no, oh no…what am I going to do?_ Her instructions were to stay still and wait until Sebastian came to get her…but did Sebastian know there was a man with a gun outside? Did she risk running to get him?

_Hold on, now,_ the more rational part of her brain soothed. _The man may have a gun, but that does not mean anyone is in danger. He may just have it in his car for protection._

_Well, then, why did he point it at me?,_ the panicking side of her brain shouted.

_He may not have seen that you were a person_, the rational side pointed out. _He might have thought you were a wild animal._

_That still doesn't explain why he's here!_

This went on for a few more minutes before Lucy took a few (silent) deep breaths and compromised – she would stay in the stable, but she'd look out the window to see what was going. Treading carefully and quietly, she grabbed the stepping-stool she used to mount the horses from Diablo's stall, crept across the way into Napoleon's stall, and stepped onto the stool so she could peer out the window, making sure to bend over to make herself less visible.

The man in the automobile was still there, holding his gun across his lap. It didn't look like anyone at the house had noticed him yet. He was still glaring up at the mansion, glancing every now and then towards the stables and causing Lucy to gasp almost inaudibly and bend over a further few inches at every instance. _What in the world is he doing?_, she wondered, straightening her sore back a few millimeters. _Is he waiting for something?_

Almost before the thought had crossed her mind, the man straightened up and started the engine, leering unpleasantly. Lucy moved to kneel on the stool, her eyes just barely reaching the sill, as two men came running into view, carrying between them a good-sized bag that could probably fit a small child. They tossed the bag unceremoniously into the back, hopped into the automobile, and drove off.

Lucy stayed completely still until the roar of the engine faded completely. A wave of dizziness passed over her; she hadn't realized she'd been holding her breath. "What a relief," she breathed, wiping her glistening forehead with a handkerchief. "Only burglars, what a shame Cousin Ciel was robbed, but I'm so glad no one was hurt…we weren't under attack after all…but what was in that bag, I wonder?" She wracked her brains, trying to think of the objects in the mansion that were large enough to fill the sack…

…but then Ciel's cocky declaration flew back to her like a hurricane gale. _"Letting slip that I had the key during the meeting today may force Vanel – or whoever the culprit is – to act, and therefore place himself in a position to be caught."_

"No…no that's ridiculous…" Lucy whispered, her face pale and eyes wide. "They couldn't…not with everyone in the house…it must have just been the key…yes, that's right, they stole the storehouse key and a few other valuables…that's why the bag was so large…yes…"

She continued this stream of self-convincing muttering all the way across the yard, into the house, and down the hall, her hands and knees trembling with every step.

She broke into a brisk jog as she turned the corner towards Ciel's study. The door was wide open – not even in her cousin's best moods did he leave the door welcomingly open on purpose. Lucy's heart leapt up into her throat, and she sprinted the last few feet, catching herself on the doorframe and gasping for breath. "C-Ciel! Cousin, are you –?"

She let out a gasp that had nothing to do with her tiredness. The study was unoccupied, and in a right state – papers were strewn everywhere, books had been flung onto the floor, the chair had been tipped over, and the window was open, the breeze creating even further disarray. It looked as though the Ferro family (for Lucy had no doubt that they were the culprits) had turned the room completely upside-down in search of the key – or that there had been an unholy struggle.

_No. No, that's not it at all. Ciel is down in the parlor with Lau and Madame Red, and Sebastian forgot to put the latch on the window, and the wind blew it open and caused this mess. Yes, that's it…it must be…_

BANG.

Lucy let out a shriek and dropped to the floor, throwing her arms up to cover her face. There was a sound like breaking glass, a loud _thud_, and then silence. Lucy waited a few minutes, hesitated, and cautiously got to her feet – she may have been sheltered, but even she recognized gunfire when she heard it. Her heart now beating as fast and hard as a race horse's hooves on the ground, she raced out in the hallway, not even pretending to remain calm.

It didn't take her long to find the source of the disturbance. Two hallways down from the study, she happened upon the shattered remains of both an antique Chinese vase and the very same window she'd smashed her head against earlier, both destroyed beyond repair. Maylene was huddled in the corner, her face red and flushed with embarrassment. Sebastian, no doubt the reason for the maid's beet-red pallor, was standing a little ways away with his back to Lucy, holding a pie on a tray in one hand.

Lucy's heart slowed somewhat; no one had been shot. "S-Sebastian!" she called, her voice slightly choked. "Maylene! Are you two all right?"

Sebastian turned to face her and smiled reassuringly, stuffing what looked like a piece of paper into his tailcoat as he did so. "Yes, everything is fine, My Lady. We've only had a bit of an accident, nothing more."

Lucy frowned, still panting from the run. "But…but I heard –"

"Mr. Sebastian!"

"I say, what's happened here?"

Finny and Bard were running up the north end of the hallway, while Madame Red, Lau, and Ran-Mao appeared behind Lucy (Grell brought up the rear, puffing and gasping for air; like his young mistress, he was unaccustomed to running), obviously attracted by the noise.

Sebastian's smile did not falter. "I apologize for the commotion. There is nothing out of the ordinary here, so please do not worry."

Madame Red looked in turn at the shattered glassware. "'Nothing', eh…?"

Sebastian turned to the servants. "My apologies, but would you please take care of this?" He gestured to the shattered glass, handed the pie tray to Bard, bowed to the guests, and began walking briskly down the hall.

Bard looked down at the pie, his face screwed up in concentration. "By 'take care'…" he began slowly, "do you mean we can eat this? Sebastian?" He looked around for confirmation, but the butler had already vanished.

Madame Red gave a skeptic, rather unladylike snort. "'Nothing,' he says, and just walks off…if this is nothing, I'll eat my – ah, Lucy, dear, what are you doing?"

Lucy had been kneeling by the wreckage of the vase; at the sound of her foster mother's voice, she leapt to her feet, one hand balled into a tight fist. "Nothing, Mother," she answered mechanically. Her voice was eerily calm. "I say…I think I'll go lie down for a while…I'm quite tired…" She started stiffly off for the guest room.

"Do you need me to come with you, dear?" the Madame called after her, her face etched with concern.

Lucy didn't turn around. "No, that's fine, Mother. I can manage…oh, and if you need to head home in a little while, feel free to go on without me. It might be better that way…" She paid no attention to the questions the others threw back at her; all she could focus on was the small, black bullet clutched in her fist.

A child-sized sack…the study in shambles…gunfire on the mansion…the paper in Sebastian's pocket…Sebastian leaving a mess without even looking at it…

There was no other explanation. _My cousin hasn't been burglarized…he's been kidnapped!_

_

* * *

_

Arachnophile, huh? Where have we heard that before? ;)

Not the most exciting chapter in the world, but the next one should make up for it. Don't forget to check the link on my profile page to animechick247's beautiful fanart!


	6. Chapter 5: That Girl, Reckless

Happy Valentine's / Single's Awareness Day! Because nothing says "I love you" like killing the Mafia. o.O

Since the last update, animechick247 has released not one, but TWO lovely pieces of fan art for this story. Please check them out! The links are on my profile page.

Nothing else to say, except enjoy the chapter!

Kuroshitsuji / Black Butler © Yana Toboso, Square Enix, A-1 Pictures, Yen Press, and FUNimation Entertainment. The following is a fan-made story written for entertainment purposes only. No profits are being made. Please support the official release.

* * *

There was a sort of deep roaring somewhere in Lucy's ears as she marched hurriedly back out to the stables. The roar was quiet, but loud enough to distract her from the mounting panic she felt rising up within her. And thanks to that, she was able to start brainstorming a plan almost immediately.

She couldn't be _completely _sure that it had been the Ferros who had taken her cousin, but they were the most likely people to do it. After, Ciel had been expecting some sort of action from them after taking the key, and Azzurro Vanel had been one of the nobles at the meeting. It didn't seem too unlikely that Vanel would plant a few cronies behind the house, take a carriage home, and order his men to kidnap the unfortunate Watchdog when no one was looking.

_If the Ferro family is behind this,_ Lucy reasoned, crossing the back gardens at a jog (she couldn't risk drawing attention to herself by running), _then that means they haven't gotten their storehouse key back yet. They'd obviously want to kidnap Ciel to force Sebastian into returning it, so until they get it back, they at least won't _kill _Ciel_. Her mind flashed back to the piece of paper tucked into Sebastian's coat. _That must have been the ransom note. So he knows about it, too…that's good. I definitely wouldn't be able to do this on my own._

Yes, to know about the kidnapping, and more importantly, to do something about it. Rash though it was, Lucy had instantly decided, almost as soon as the bullet touched her hand, that she would go and rescue Ciel.

Really, what other option was there? She couldn't tell Madame Red or the servants – what could they do about it? They would only panic and run about like fools while Ciel suffered. She could have probably confided in Sebastian, but he had vanished, most likely to wherever Ciel was being held. Admittedly, the safest thing to do would be to wait in the guest room and leave the whole thing to the Phantomhive butler. Still, Lucy was not foolish enough to believe that, amazing though Sebastian was, he could handle what would most likely be an army of pissed-off Italian drug addicts on his own. She may have zero combat experience, but she'd be a greater help than any of the others.

_Now, how should I go about doing this…where do the Ferros even live? I suppose I could just follow the tire tracks…oh, but what about the tracks from the carriages? How can I tell them apart…? I suppose…well, Sebastian must have just left – if Diablo goes at a fast gallop, I might be able to catch up with him. And once we get there…er…well, I suppose I could make a distraction, and Sebastian can go fetch Ciel…but how should I distract them? Pass out on the doorstep? No, no one would notice that…oh, if only I had a nicer figure…_

Well, she'd come up with something. Time was of the essence, and every second she spent hemming and hawing was another second her cousin was being tortured. She'd just have to improvise, or else think of something on the ride over. Quickening her pace, she rushed the last few feet into the stables, grabbed a saddle, blanket, bridle, and reins, and opened the door of Diablo's stall.

"All right, old boy," she said, throwing the blanket over the stallion's broad back. "Ciel's in trouble, and it's up to us and Sebastian to rescue him. I don't know how far away he's being held, but wherever he is, we'll have to get there as quickly as possible. Can you handle that, boy?" Diablo snorted indignantly, as though insulted by the question. Lucy let out a nervous laugh and patted him on the neck. "That's my boy. All right…up we go…"

She stepped up onto the stool and started to turn around (so to lift herself onto the horse), but paused. Propriety had long since dictated that women ride a horse side-saddle – that is, facing forward with both legs on the horse's left side. The idea was that riding normally (or, "the men's way") would indecently expose the legs of the lady, and may even cause harm to her organs so that she would be unable to bear children. Lucy secretly thought that to be a load of rubbish, but she had gone along with it because she was not keen to show off her spindly little twigs of legs to anyone. But this time, speed, not propriety, was the issue, and her goal was not to be seen anyway. She would go much faster sitting normally. So it was only with a fraction of a second's hesitation that she flung one leg over Diablo's back and pulled herself up onto the saddle. It was a lot less comfortable than side-saddle, but she felt a lot more secure. She'd have to do this more often. _No babies for me, I suppose._

She allowed herself a quick smile before her face tightened in a determined frown. "I'm coming, cousin," she whispered, taking the reins. "All right, Diablo, let's be off!"

Diablo let out a whinny of jubilation – this was his element. He snorted and strained at the bit, longing to gallop, but Lucy led him out through the gardens at a trot, glancing towards the windows to see if anyone was watching. She had to appear as though she was going on a normal ride, at the risk of Madame Red or the servants having a conniption.

Much to her mount's frustration, she further slowed him to a walk, and finally to a complete stop as they stepped onto the road in front of the main entrance, where fresh tire tracks had been imprinted into the dust. Her eyes scanned the area with nervous precision – was the gunman still outside? Would he shoot if she rode by? She didn't think she looked _that _suspicious, but this _was _the Mafia she was dealing with…Lucy quickly forced her face into a relaxed smile and redoubled her fevered glances. _Where could he be? The bushes? The trees? Behind the hedges…?_

But Diablo had had enough. With a wild neigh, the stallion reared onto his back legs (nearly throwing poor Lucy off) and set off at a gallop down the street. Lucy let out a yelp of alarm and bent forward so that her upper body and lower body were perpendicular waiting for the telltale shot of a gun.

Thankfully, she made it through the gates and down the forest path, unwounded and still managing to keep her seat. Either the gunman had already left, or he had not found her dangerous enough to shoot at. She glanced behind her, her eyes streaming from the speed of Diablo's gallop. The mansion was already far behind them, and there was no sign of anyone following them. Letting out a sigh of relief, she turned forward again and clicked the reins, spurring the horse into an even faster pace. She had never ridden at this speed before; it was all she could do to hold the reins and her hat, _and _stay in the saddle. She was frightened of falling and injuring herself here, where there would be no one to help her; nevertheless, she didn't slow Diablo's pace. At the speed they were going, they were bound to catch up to both the car and Sebastian. They wouldn't have to worry about the tracks at –

_Wait._

Something suddenly registered in Lucy's mind. She had been too upset and too concerned with her planning to notice this before, but when she had entered the stable, _all six horses had been there_. How in the world did Sebastian plan to rescue Ciel at a walking pace? Did that mean they were holding the young lord somewhere within walking distance? Lucy leaned forward slightly to make sure they were still following the tracks…they might have been following carriage tracks the whole time…might they have already passed it? Lucy was considering doubling back when a horrible, blood-curdling scream pierced the air.

Lucy gasped in surprise and yanked on the reins, pulling Diablo to a halt. For once, the horse obeyed instantly and stood stock-still, quiet as a mouse. Lucy looked all around for the source of the scream, but there was not another living thing in sight, not even birds. It had been a human's scream, definitely, and by the sound of it, its owner was being brutally tortured…Lucy's blood ran cold. Was it Ciel?

Another scream – probably an adult male's, too low to be Ciel's (she had never known him to scream at anything anyways). This time, however, it was accompanied by a loud banging noise and an enormous cloud of dust that rose over the treetops in the distance. Lucy instinctively shrank back from the commotion (causing Diablo to skitter a few steps back), but looked up in consternation at the rising dust and grit. "What on earth was that?" she murmured, involuntarily driving Diablo a few steps forward curiously. That bang hadn't been gunfire, but it could've been some sort of weapon that would've raised the dust…and the screaming…

"Maybe it's a torture center run by the Ferros!" she realized, her eyes wide. Yes, that would make sense – if the ransom note had specified an area within walking distance, then there wasn't any other explanation…maybe…

Lucy fidgeted uncomfortably in her saddle. Was Ciel there, or wasn't he? She couldn't waste time thinking about it, but she'd waste even more time if she went to the wrong place…but if it was in walking distance, where else would he be? Besides, even if it wasn't Ciel who was in trouble there, someone definitely was…she couldn't just leave them, could she? But between saving a stranger and saving Ciel, she should automatically pick Ciel…right?

Once again, Diablo made up her mind for her by springing forward and galloping at lightning-speed towards the dust cloud. Lucy sent up a quick prayer that Ciel was there, throwing her arms around the horse's neck to keep from being thrown off. _I do want to help these people, but I can't waste any time…_

But either way, it didn't look like she'd waste too much time; Diablo was galloping so fast, it was like he was flying. The dust cloud already seemed double the size…now it was triple…the forest was going by as a bright-green blur…Lucy closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against Diablo's neck, feeling dizzy and nauseous. Diablo seemed to know where he was going without his rider's help…he picked up speed, and Lucy's stomach lurched…she felt the stallion turn sharply, heard the leaves and branches rustle as they charged off the path…she felt her arms being scratched by branches…she considered trying to steer Diablo back onto the road, but she felt too ill to even open her eyes…

A bright light suddenly filtered through her eyelids, and she felt Diablo grind to a halt, breathing only slightly harder than normal. Lucy cautiously straightened up, her stomach slowly beginning to settle, and her eyes opened to what she could honestly say was the strangest sight she could ever remember seeing.

There was no torture chamber, or any other building, for that matter, and Ciel was nowhere in sight. There was, however, an automobile (identical to the one she had seen parked behind the mansion) balanced on the precipice of what appeared to be a very steep cliff. It was tilted with its trunk facing downwards, and at such a strange angle that it was a wonder that it hadn't already fallen. It was rocking back and forth regularly in the breeze, though, sending the two young men inside into fits of shivering. The men were dressed in slovenly, everyman-style clothing similar to the men who had taken Ciel, and they looked absolutely terrified (then again, Lucy would be, too, in that situation).

But that wasn't the strangest part of it. Crouched atop the hood of the car and looking immensely pleased with himself was none other than…

Lucy's mouth fell open. "S-S-_Sebastian_?"

The butler turned his head to look at her without moving from the car. "Ah, Lady Luciana! What a surprise to see you so far from the mansion." He was smiling as though he were helping her from a carriage rather than speaking to her from on top of a strange automobile about to plummet to its demise off of a cliff. "I trust you are feeling better, seeing as you've been able to ride this far out?"

"Er…y-yes, I-I am," she stammered. "Er…w-why are you…shouldn't we help –?"

Sebastian suddenly held up one gloved finger, and Lucy fell silent. "My apologies for interrupting, Lady Luciana, but would you please allow me to finish my conversation with these gentlemen beforehand? I will be with you in just a moment, My Lady."

Lucy blinked a few times, bewildered. Sebastian had never cut her off before. She opened her mouth to answer, but Sebastian had already returned his attention to the imperiled men. He was still smiling, but the smile seemed somehow colder and more…_feral_. It reminded Lucy of the smiles he would give to the servants after screwing something up, only much, much worse. "Now, as I was saying, gentlemen, I have a few questions for you concerning the whereabouts of my young master. Firstly, I wish to know the name of your employer."

Lucy's heart skipped a beat out of exhilaration. _So they _do _know something about it! That's Sebastian for you, tracking them down like that! _She eagerly and desperately leaned forward in anticipation, but the men in the automobile were silent, trembling all over. One of them, the passenger, opened his mouth, but no sound came out. They both seemed quite petrified.

Sebastian's unpleasant smirk widened; he looked like he was greatly enjoying himself, to Lucy's surprise. "Come, now; I am not a patient man. And I assume you remember what happened to Humpty-Dumpty, do you not?" The automobile creaked ominously, and Lucy was sure it would tip and fall right then. It was the height of summer, but she felt chilled to the bone. _S…Sebastian…is this…really you?_

The passenger seemed to find his voice at last. "A-Azzurro Vanel, f-f-from the F-Ferro family! H-He's got a h-hideout in the E-East End!"

Lucy started, her already wide eyes bulging even further. "So it _was_ him…" she whispered, and Diablo pawed the ground angrily beneath her.

"So it would seem," Sebastian replied simply. He was smiling wider than ever, and a dark shadow seemed to have fallen across his face. He straightened up to his full height, and the automobile creaked once more, rocking back and forth even more furiously. Lucy noticed vaguely that he was carrying a silver serving tray in one hand and what looked like an unwired telephone in the other, but the fact barely registered.

She gasped – kidnappers or not, she couldn't watch these men die. "W-Watch out, Sebastian!" she called out, her voice cracking with fear. "T-That sudden movement…the car, it's going to –"

"Indeed, My Lady," Sebastian murmured. His voice, his face, his countenance…everything seemed like it belonged to a stranger. A stranger that reveled in violence and horror.

The full meaning of words slowly sunk in, and Lucy felt her blood run cold. "No…no, Sebastian…you can't…you c-can't…" But Sebastian merely smiled, heedless of her pleas.

The men in the automobile appeared to have realized their fate as well; they began trembling worse than ever, and the driver pressed his head against the wheel in horror. "W-W-We only w-work for him!" the passenger shouted weakly, reaching out a hand in supplication.

"Oh, I see," Sebastian answered softly, still speaking in that stranger's tongue. He gave them a low bow. "I apologize for holding you up, gentlemen. Do enjoy the rest of your trip."

And before anyone even had time to blink, he was on the ground, away from the cliff, and the automobile was rolling backwards, just barely in balance…Sebastian tossed the severed phone up in the air, and the passenger wordlessly and quite bemusedly caught it. But that little shift in weight was all it took…

Lucy shrieked and clapped her hands over her eyes, but that wasn't enough to block out the men's screams of terror, the deafening _CRASH_ as metal hit earth, the smell of smoke and burning blood…bile rose in her throat once more, and she moved her hands from her eyes to her mouth, still keeping her eyes firmly shut to the destruction. Not the smartest idea, for Diablo, startled by the noise, had begun to rear again, and with no grip on her mount, Lucy began to slide off…

…but with inhuman speed, Sebastian somehow made it from the cliff face twenty feet away to Diablo's side in a matter of seconds to catch her easily before she hit the ground.

Lucy slowly lowered her hands and stared up at her once-again rescuer, swallowing thickly and wishing in the back of her mind that she'd keep down her lunch. "S-Sebastian…?"

"My, my," Sebastian said teasingly, his unusual smile once more becoming polite and serene. "You certainly have a knack for trouble, do you not, Lady Luciana? Yet another similarity to My Lord…"

Lucy blushed on reflex, but she felt no warmth as she gazed up at him. On the contrary, she felt as though her insides had turned to very fragile ice. "You…you…" She took a deep breath and stood up, wrapping her arms around herself (which did nothing to chase away the coldness she was feeling). "…what did you _do_?" she managed to finally say, her face much paler than usual.

Sebastian, on the other hand, didn't seem bothered at all; in fact, he looked like he was still enjoying himself. "Why, My Lady, I have done nothing at all to those gentlemen. As you plainly saw not a minute ago, the unfortunate automobile lost its balance and fell of its own accord." His smile widened the smallest fraction. "A tragedy, to be sure, but sadly unavoidable."

There were so many things wrong with that statement that Lucy, although very distressed, did not bother addressing them. Instead, she gestured to the edge of the cliff, trying very hard not to look at the plume of smoke. "Are they…are they _dead_?" she whispered hoarsely.

"Most likely," Sebastian answered cheerfully. "Does that upset you, Lady Luciana?" he added, his smile fading a little.

"Of course it does," she replied weakly, her head becoming light and fuzzy. The ice within her seemed to grow even colder at Sebastian's unconcerned look. "This…th-these were _lives_, Sebastian! Human lives…they were gone just like…oh, my God…" She felt like she was going to either faint or throw up – wouldn't that just be the icing on the cake?

Sebastian frowned in – _could it be…?_ – confusion. "And yet they conspired with their master to abduct my Young Master, which I am sure you know full well by mow, My Lady. They have done a grievous wrong against the House of Phantomhive, and yet you mourn their deaths?"

Lucy stared at him, the ice growing even colder. "They…they're still _lives_! No matter how much wrong they had done, and no matter how much I didn't like them, they didn't deserve to _die_. I mean…what if they had families?"

Sebastian was silent for a long while before sighing quietly. "You are without doubt a very bizarre young woman, Lady Luciana."

Lucy was too ill to be offended, but she still found this rather strange coming from the usually-courteous butler. "…thank you, Sebastian," she responded simply, averting her eyes.

"Forgive me, My Lady, but I did not mean it as a compliment," he said bluntly. Lucy's eyes snapped back to meet his, which were harsher and colder than she'd ever seen them. For once, the smile had left his face. "While I applaud your deductive reasoning, I cannot believe you would be so idiotic to believe that you would be able to go after the Young Master by yourself."

Lucy recoiled as though struck. "I…I just…" she stammered, her cheeks flushing in shame, "I just wanted to h-help…"

"And exactly what help did you believe you could provide?" Sebastian asked, skeptically raising an eyebrow. "Have you any skills in combat?"

"N…no."

"Did you bring a weapon of some sort with you?"

"N-No…I-I was planning to make some sort of d-distraction…"

"And what, pray tell, would that accomplish?" Sebastian challenged, his expression becoming harsher with every word. "Do you expect that Vanel would treat you kinder than he would the Young Master? And if you did manage to distract them, how would you expect to slip away to retrieve the Master by yourself?"

"I…I wasn't think –"

"I should say not, My Lady. Had you not let your emotions drown out your common sense, you might have realized the most rational course of action: informing Madame Red of your discovery."

Lucy bristled in spite of herself. "N-Now hold on! Madame Red couldn't be much more capable than me, could she? She would have only panicked if I'd told her about Ciel!"

"Yes, but even while distressed, her first thought would have been to call Scotland Yard," Sebastian pointed out, "and not to go gallivanting after a crime syndicate without so much as a means of defending herself."

Lucy had no comeback to that, and she knew he was absolutely right. _Scotland Yard_…why on earth hadn't she thought of that? In hindsight, calling the police seemed like the obvious thing to do. She had never felt so stupid in her entire life. "I-I'm so sorry, Sebastian," she whispered, hanging her head.

"As you should be. You have placed yourself in a good deal of danger and could have gotten yourself seriously injured." He paused, and once more a smile slowly appeared across his face. "Having said that, what's done is done, and I do appreciate the faster mode of transportation." He gingerly patted Diablo's neck as he said this; the stallion snorted angrily and shot him a glare. "I do believe you might be a useful lookout, My Lady," he went on with a smirk, mounting Diablo expertly (much to the horse's displeasure).

Lucy looked up in surprise. "Y…You still want me to come along? Even after I –"

"But of course, My Lady," he purred in response, his smile widening. "As I have said, your reasoning skills and courage alike have greatly impressed me. You have proven that you value the Young Master's safety over your own – foolish, but necessary for his rescue." He held out a hand. "Two heads are better than one, My Lady; I would be delighted to accompany you to Mr. Vanel's manor."

Lucy looked from Sebastian's face to his hand and back again. _What's going on here? Just a moment ago, he was scolding me about putting myself in danger, and now he's offering to take me with him? How is that different than what I was doing before? Does he think that just because he would be there, I wouldn't be in any danger? Just what is he planning? _

Still, her desperation to rescue Ciel was stronger than her anxiety about Sebastian, even if only by a little bit. Wordlessly, she grabbed Sebastian's hand and allowed her to pull her onto the saddle (sitting side-saddle this time – there was no way, even in a situation like this, that she would show off her legs to a man).

"There we are," Sebastian said with a smile, double-checking that his charge was seated securely. He pulled a silver pocket watch out of his tailcoat, checked the time, and frowned. "Oh my, look at the time. If we don't hurry, we shall be late for dinner. Let us be off." He clicked the reins smartly. Diablo's ears shot back to lie flat against his head, and he dug his hooves in the ground, firmly intending to stay put.

Sebastian frowned slightly. "Dear me, you _are _a stubborn beast, aren't you? I had expected you to be better trained than this." Lucy fidgeted uncomfortably behind him.

Diablo swung his head about angrily, his furious red eyes darting between the riders. Lucy could tell that he was torn between bucking off Sebastian and staying still for herself.

"Easy, boy," she murmured, reaching down to pat him. "We have to get going – Ciel needs us."

Diablo seem to roll his eyes before whinnying loudly and setting off, at once regaining his earlier gallop. It was such a sudden shift that Lucy, seated as she was, was thrown off balance and had to wrap her arms tightly around Sebastian's middle to stay on the horse.

Rather than being angry, Sebastian glanced over his shoulder at her with something like amusement. "Well done, My Lady. You certainly have a way with hellish beasts."

Lucy nodded dumbly, her thoughts elsewhere – on the distinctly un-Sebastian-like behavior of the last few minutes. This wasn't right…the kind, helpful, polite, caring butler she had known for two years had been acting like…well, like a cold-blooded, heartless killer. That wasn't the Sebastian she knew…_but I don't know him, do I? I may think I do, but really, what _do _I know about him? _She sighed softly, too disturbed to even register the fact that her arms were around the man she loved.

_Sebastian…what are you?_

_

* * *

_Sebastian didn't look it, but he was a very skilled rider. Naturally, he would be, of course – he was so good at just about everything else, Lucy would have been very surprised if he hadn't. Add that to the natural speed and stamina of El Diablo, and the two-and-a-half hour ride into the city took only a mere forty-five minutes. The trees morphed into buildings before Lucy's eyes in almost an instant. It was a warm, sunny day, and the streets of London were packed with people and carriages. Sebastian managed to weave his way in between the traffic without hitting anyone, but the shouts and oaths in their wake was enough confirmation for Lucy to know that they were going way too fast. Not that this was a bad thing – it had now been over two hours since Ciel had been kidnapped, and every second they wasted was a second of patience Vanel lost. He could become so impatient that he wouldn't bother waiting for the key, and end up killing Ciel right then and there…Lucy shuddered and tried not to think about that.

On and on they went, all the way across the city into the seedy East End. The polished, well-to-do shops and houses became filthy, decrepit hovels, and the cheerful, law-abiding citizens all but disappeared. The streets were covered with grime and litter, and Diablo ended up stumbling more than once, much to Lucy's panic. Every now and then, several pairs of dark, beady eyes would glare out at them from back alleys and from behind cracked doors. Lucy was feeling more uncomfortable by the second, but a glare from Sebastian and a neigh from Diablo sent them scurrying away every time.

_I see why Ciel does so much business here_, Lucy thought, embarrassedly tightening her grip on Sebastian's waist. _This definitely looks like the sort of place where criminals would gather. Just look at it…those poor people…_

But there was one thing in the East End that wasn't reeking of filth and poverty – a large, stately mansion a few streets away, made of sparkling-white brick and closed off by an ornate pair of wrought-iron gates. Even from here, Lucy could see faint outlines of guards patrolling the widow's walk and the space beyond the gates. Their guns were as noticeable as fireworks on a summer night.

Lucy shivered again and leaned as close to Sebastian's ear as she could without her blush becoming too apparent or her tongue too tied. "Do you think that's Vanel's hideout?"

Sebastian glanced towards the mansion without turning his head, pulling Diablo to a reluctant halt. "Undoubtedly – it matches the address specified to me in the Ferro's message, at least, so we can be sure that Master. Vanel and the Young Master will be present." He chuckled softly. "Although I must say, lovely as that mansion may be, it is altogether too conspicuous for a sanctuary of a drug trafficker."

Lucy smiled weakly – she didn't see how Sebastian could be laughing at this point. "Th-That's true…s-so, er, do you have a plan on how to get inside?"

"Several, as a matter of fact," Sebastian answered smoothly. He pulled out his pocket watch again, frowned at it, and clicked it shut with a _snap_. "However, as we are on a rather tight schedule, I believe I shall follow through with the quickest."

"Which would be?" Lucy prompted, already knowing and dreading the answer.

Sebastian looked over his shoulder and smiled at her levelly. "Exactly what I have been instructed to do, of course: enter directly through the front entrance with the key to Master Vanel's storehouse."

Lucy's heart sank as she started to shake her head frantically. "N-No, Sebastian, p-please don't do that!" she begged in a whisper (even though they were out of earshot of the Ferro guards, she was too paranoid and terrified to risk raising her voice).

Sebastian raised an eyebrow, still smiling with courteous amusement. "Why ever not, My Lady? The Young Master's safety will be best guaranteed if I perform the tasks I was ordered to perform. Moreover, we are behind schedule, and this manner of proceedings will be both quick and simple. After all if we were to try something more time-consuming, then dinner would have no chance of being prepared in time."

If Lucy didn't know any better, she'd say that Sebastian's only concern was that dinner wasn't late. Good thing she knew better. "B-But, Sebastian," she pressed, still unconvinced, "even if Vanel did send a ransom note, those guards aren't just going to let you walk in! They could have very well blamed you for the deaths of those other two men! What if they shoot you?"

A hint of Sebastian's former sternness flashed in his eyes. "While I am flattered that you are so concerned about a humble servant, Lady Luciana, you ought to be more concerned for your _own _welfare. You are, after all, at a severe disadvantage compared to both Vanel's henchmen and myself." He steered Diablo into an alleyway just a street away from Vanel's mansion.

Lucy cringed. "Er…r-right. S-So, er, what should I do?"

Sebastian cleanly dismounted and held out a hand to help Lucy do the same. "I suggest, My Lady, that you wait here at this spot, without moving, and watch for suspicious individuals whilst I go and retrieve the Young Master."

Lucy frowned at him. "Sebastian, please don't patronize me by making the idea of me waiting here sound important. It's not as though I can run and tell you if someone comes along. And I know by this point that it would be useless to try and convince you to let me help you."

Sebastian chuckled. "You are making astounding mental progress, My Lady. I am most impressed."

Lucy forced back a sigh of impatience. "Thank you. But there's still a problem…what if someone comes along and attacks me? I wouldn't be able to defend myself." She considered adding, _like you pointed out earlier_, but that would be a bit rude.

"Quite. Perhaps you might have anticipated that detail before leaving the mansion, My Lady," Sebastian commented drily. He reached a hand into the inside of his coat, pulled out an object, and placed it in Lucy's hand. "For the time being, however, we shall make do with this."

Lucy looked down curiously at the object in her hands. It was a thin, incredibly sharp dagger with a gold hilt and silver blade that had to have been six inches long. It was lightweight and fit perfectly in the contours of her hand, as though it had been made for her. There was some sort of insignia carved into the blade just beneath the hilt; looking closer, she saw what appeared to be a five-pointed star enclosed within a jagged circle, with strange, ancient letters dotting every inch of empty space within the star. On either side of the circle were two carved snakes, fangs bared and reared as though about to strike. The whole thing seemed vaguely familiar, but she just couldn't…

Looking at the insignia suddenly sent a chill down her spine, and she shivered in the warm air. "S-Sebastian," she said softly, her eyes still locked on the dagger, "a-are you quite sure I should be using this? It doesn't seem like – S-Sebastian?"

She looked frantically around, but Sebastian had vanished into thin air. Swallowing thickly, she glanced anxiously towards the mansion; the gates were still firmly shut, and none of the guards had moved, although there seemed to be a good deal more of them now. _But that's silly…he wouldn't have been able to get over there that quickly anyway…and no one's gotten in…right?_

But to her mounting horror, an unmistakable voice carried on the wind from somewhere pas the gates. "My, what a magnificent manor!"

The guards jumped in surprise, whirled about, and pointed their guns at an object invisible from where Lucy and Diablo were standing; evidently, they were just as surprised as she was that someone had snuck in without their notice. "Who the hell are you?" one of them called out in a heavy Italian accent.

Lucy didn't hear the response. Her heart pounding fearfully, she craned her neck and stood on tiptoes, vainly trying to see what was happening. She was considering remounting Diablo to get some more height when a cacophony of screams erupted from the gates. One by one, the guards dropped to the ground, where they lay limp and unmoving. A few guns went off, but the screaming and collapsing only increased – whatever Sebastian was doing, the guns weren't stopping him.

Lucy danced back and forth nervously on the spot, wringing her hands in terror. She still couldn't see Sebastian, but perhaps that was a good thing – if there was even a shred of doubt that kind, perfect Sebastian wasn't responsible for this carnage, then she would cling to it for dear life. On the other hand, she felt a bizarre longing to know the truth, no matter how gruesome it was – to know why and how it was that Sebastian had been hiding his true face (if this was indeed his true face) for years. For this reason, she was completely torn between watching and not watching, and as a result, did not notice the danger until it was too late.

One of Vanel's larger guards had been lucky enough to escape whatever destruction Sebastian was wreaking; in the thick of the fighting, he had dropped his gun and barreled through the gates, his sudden escape going unnoticed by anyone. He savored his freedom for a few sweet moments before his eyes fell on a little girl standing beside a horse across the way in an alley, her eyes locked on the chaos at the hideout. His eyes narrowed – she must be a look-out for that _pazzo _Phantomhive bodyguard!

"Hey!" he roared at her, his face contorted with rage and fear. "What the hell d'yeh think yeh're doin', yeh _puttana_?"

Lucy could have jumped about a mile out of her skin. She gazed in complete terror at the man for a split second before turning to tear down the alley as fast as she could. With a howl of fury, the man chased after her.

Lucy had barely moved, but there was already a biting stitch in her side. The alley had seemed so short and wide earlier, but it seemed to have stretched out all the way to Paris. Her heart pounded painfully in her chest, and every breath was a burning gasp. She really wasn't meant for running, but she had to keep going or she would be caught. And after that…she couldn't think about that. She was so scared that it hurt…from somewhere behind her, she heard Diablo neigh in outrage, and then shriek as he was pushed aside by the mountain of a bodyguard.

Lucy let out a scream of her own and vainly tried to increase her speed. But it was already too late…she could feel the man's hot breath on the back of her neck…she sensed rather than saw a pair of meaty hands reaching out towards her…in one last, desperate attempt at freedom, she spun around and swung her little fist into the man's undoubtedly rock-hard abdomen –

The man suddenly let out a yell and staggered backwards, his hands scrabbling at his stomach. Lucy staggered to a halt, gasping for breath, a look of surprise on her face. _Why did he stop…?_, a faint voice asked from far away. Wordlessly and dreamily, as though she were outside of her own body, she looked in wonder at the dark red stain seeping across the fabric under the man's hands. Her head was fuzzy, and there was a strange buzzing in her ears. The ice inside her body had returned, plunging her into a state of unnatural calmness. _What's that red stuff…?_

And then, like a thousand strikes of lightning, it hit her. Her mouth fell open as she gazed in horror at Sebastian's knife. She had completely forgotten about it – or so she wanted to believe, but try as she might, she could not ignore the crimson liquid coloring the blade all the way up to the hilt. _No_, she thought frantically, her hands beginning to shake. _No, I didn't…I just tried to punch him…I didn't s-stab him…I didn't k…k…_

She couldn't even think it, so how could she have done it? Feeling the buzzing grow even louder and her head grow even fuzzier, she looked in vehement alarm back at the man, who had stopped scratching at his stomach and was staring at her with an expression of polite bewilderment. As Lucy watched, his eyes started to roll upwards, looking impossibly dim…

…but in a flash, Diablo galloped up completely out of nowhere, reared up onto his hind legs, and slammed his front hooves into the back of the man's skull. The guard crumpled and hit the ground without so much as a grunt. He didn't move.

Lucy was suddenly aware of the sound of screaming from somewhere far away, growing louder by the second. Her eyes darted back and forth, looking for the source, but the strain on her throat told her that it was _her _scream ricocheting off the alley walls. When she realized this, the screaming died off, but the bile she'd been holding back all afternoon spattered onto the uneven pavement. Her knees buckled and she fell to the ground, trembling all over. The knife fell from her hand and hit the ground with a clatter. "N-N-No…" she whispered hoarsely, not even bothering to wipe her mouth. "O-oh, God, n-no…"

She had killed a man. She had destroyed a precious life. She hadn't meant to, but what did that matter? She had broken both the criminal law and her own moral beliefs. She had ripped a soul from life, family, loved ones…Lucy retched again, tears streaming down her face. _Oh, God, I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…I never wanted this…_

She felt something nudge her shoulder, and she miserably looked up to see Diablo standing over her, his head bowed. His coat was a bit dirty from where he had been slammed into the wall, and his saddle was slightly askew, but he seemed unhurt. For once, his eyes were not flashing with rebelliousness; they were quite dull and almost consoling. The stallion whickered softly and lowered his head to rest on Lucy's shoulder. Lucy stared at him for a moment before throwing her arms around his neck, sobbing.

She stayed like that for a long time, going from sobs to hiccups to mournful silence. She was impossibly guilty about what she had done, but at the same time she felt a perverse sense of satisfaction – it felt good to cry out all her built-up problems. It made her feel much calmer, which set the rational part of her mind into motion again. Yes, what she had done was unforgivable, but now was not the time to wallow in her transgressions. Ciel was still Vanel's hostage, and judging by the crushing silence from the direction of the mansion, Sebastian had either taken out the remaining guards or…_gulp_…or had been taken care of himself. Either way, Lucy could not afford to waste any more time, and so, pushing her unstable thoughts to the back of her mind, she shakily got to her feet and wiped her face.

She debated a long time about whether or not she should take the knife. She was disgusted with it and did not want to use it again, but there was no denying that she needed it. She finally picked it up and wiped it apologetically on the dead man's clothes, reasoning that she would take it to keep Sebastian from getting upset with her again. Then, trying not to look at the corpse any more than was necessary, she led Diablo over to the gate and tied his reins to one of the bars (this issue was no so much of him running away or being stolen as him running wild and hurting a bystander). Finally, steeling what remained of her courage, she cautiously walked through the gates and into the manor grounds.

There was no sign of Sebastian, but the bodies of at least fifty guards were strewn about the sparse yard. Most of them were lying in puddles of what was undoubtedly blood. A few of them were twitching slightly, and Lucy heard of a few moans of agony, but most of them were lying as still as the fellow in the alley. Nausea threatened to overtake Lucy again, but she had no choice but to check every body for Sebastian (although if he were truly among the dead, she didn't think she'd able to go on).

_They're only asleep_, Lucy told herself firmly, moving from body to body with her pocket-handkerchief pressed firmly over her mouth. _They all had sudden attacks of narcolepsy and fell into puddles of spilled wine that they all happened to – is that a fork?_

Indeed it was – lodged firmly in one of the guard's forehead was a silver, well-polished fork. Lucy bent down to take a closer look; the Phantomhive crest was clearly carved upon the handle. Looking around, she realized that every one of the guards had either a fork, a knife, or (amazingly enough) a spoon stuck into some area of their body. She could only assume that this meant Sebastian had successfully infiltrated the mansion – though for the life of her, she couldn't figure out how you could kill someone with only a piece of silverware. Resolving to consider the matter further when Ciel was safe, she hurried up the steps and into the unlocked mansion.

The entrance hall of the Vanel manor had a blue and white color scheme, in contrast to the red and brown of the Phantomhive mansion. The décor of this house betrayed far less wealth than that of Ciel's; there were only a few meager portraits, a vase or two, and a plain staircase. There wasn't even a rug. There was a door, though, slightly ajar and knocking against the doorframe in the wind. Lucy couldn't hear any voices coming from beyond it, but she could hear a faint creaking sound. _That seems as a good a place to start as any_, she thought, hurrying over the threshold and closing the door behind her.

She found herself in a large, grand hall, most likely used as a dining room. There were two levels, upper and lower, separated by about twenty feet and an ornate railing. The room was bare except for a long table with about twenty chairs placed around it (a few of them had been overturned). Strangely, there were a few cups and shattered bits of glass, but no plates or silverware. Even stranger were the hundreds of bodies flung about everywhere – on both floors, on top of chairs, slumped against the walls, and even hanging over the railing, each with a knife or fork through its head. And still that creaking noise echoed throughout the silent hall.

Lucy was getting more uneasy by the second. The room may have been well-lit and there may have been no trace of fire, but the death surrounding her put her too much in mind of _that day_…but if she could only find Sebastian, then everything would be all right. "Sebastian…?" she called out timidly, her voice barely above a whisper. There was no reply. "Sebastian?" she called again, trying to make her voice sound braver.

"Ah, Lady Luciana. What a pleasant surprise."

Lucy gasped and looked in the direction the voice had come from – directly above her. Dangling upside-down by his ankles from a large golden chandelier was none other than Sebastian. The chandelier was swinging back and forth, barely able to support his weight, which explained that creaking sound. As she watched, he pushed off of the chandelier, flipped a couple times in midair and landed smoothly on his feet to smile at Lucy.

Lucy could only stare at him for a moment. "How…how did you…what happened here?" she asked finally.

Sebastian smiled cryptically. "I was merely exterminating a rather pesky plague of rats, on request of Lord Randall. More importantly," he diverted, frowning, "I do believe I told you to remain outside?"

Lucy flinched. "Er…that is…when I was…that is…" She wanted to tell him what had happened back in the alley, but when she tried, her throat closed up and her eyeballs became prickly. In the end, she could only wring her hands and shake her head.

Sebastian observed her for a moment before slowly nodding his head in understanding. "I see…the dagger prepared you _physically_ for attack, but not emotionally…it takes a stronger spirit to kill…how curious…" He soothingly took her hand in both of his. "Forgive me, Lady Luciana. It was unfathomably foolish of me to bring you into a vulture's nest only to leave you alone. To think of the danger I put you in…"

"N-No…it's quite all right," Lucy assured him, reaching for her handkerchief with her free hand and wiping her damp eyes. _But if that's the case…why did you allow me to come along in the first place? _"It's over and done with anyway, so it doesn't matter. What's important is getting Ciel back away from that horrid man. We've already come so close, so we ought to continue quickly."

Sebastian inclined his head. "As you wish, My Lady." He let go of her hand and checked his pocket watch once again. "At any rate, that little extermination took much longer than I'd anticipated. It's already 5:43; we are woefully behind schedule." He extended a hand to the young woman. "We are nearly through, My Lady, but you will have to endure a trifle more danger and discomfort. This time, however, I shall not leave you alone for an instant. Please allow me to escort you to the Young Master, Lady Luciana."

There was no time to hesitate, no time to relish the idea of her hand in his; Lucy could only take his hand, nod, and try not to look at the bodies as Sebastian briskly led her through another door out of the room.

They found themselves in a long hallway that branched further down off to the right and left. Beyond these forked passages was a pair of grand-looking wooden doors. Sebastian's eyes seemed to glow as they fell upon them. "Ah," he purred, his smile broadening languidly. "I do believe I have located my wayward Young Master."

"How can you be sure?" Lucy asked cautiously, curiously gazing up at him.

Sebastian laughed almost inaudibly. "A Phantomhive butler must know these things, My Lady, or else he would not be worth his salt."

"Y…Yes, all right." Lucy looked back at the door, and her fists clenched. _This is it…Cousin Ciel's right behind that door! _"What I shall do, Sebastian?"

Sebastian smiled and led her over to where the passageway forked. "I believe you shall be safest waiting here behind this wall, My Lady," he advised, placing her a few feet down the left passage.

Lucy frowned in confusion. "But…but I thought you said –"

"This time, I shall be directly down the hall, within your sight," Sebastian said, anticipating her question. "If you find yourself in danger, simply call out my name and I shall be there."

Lucy nodded, feeling her face get a little warm. "Right. B-Be careful in there, Sebastian."

Sebastian bowed. "I shall. Thank you for your concern, Lady Luciana. If you will excuse me…" He turned the corner and started to make his way towards the door. Lucy pressed her body against the wall and poked her head around the corner. She had a good view of the door, but when Sebastian threw it open and bowed again to the occupants, her view of the inside of the room was obstructed. "I have come to retrieve my Master."

There was a short bark of laughter in response, followed by a voice that could only be Azzurro Vanel's. "Now _this _is a surprise! I was imagining a brawny giant would come for the little brat, but you're just some Romeo milksop in a tailcoat, aren't you? But to get here means that you can't possibly be _just a butler_, so who are you?"

Sebastian straightened up. "Oh, but I am," he replied conversationally, as though his master wasn't in mortal danger. "One _hell_ of a butler, that is." There was something in the way he said it that put a shiver down Lucy's spine.

"Oh, really?" Vanel scoffed. "Well, even if that's the case, I don't intend to fight you. However…" There was the unmistakable _click_ of a gun being cocked, and Lucy had to clamp her hands over her mouth to keep from gasping. "…you _better_ have brought the goods!"

"Indeed," Sebastian replied, moving to reach into his coat pocket. "I have it right –"

_BANG. _

Lucy couldn't hold back a scream as a bullet pierced the side of Sebastian's head, followed by twenty others. _No…this can't be_, was the only thought echoing in her mind as she watched Sebastian fall unmoving to the floor. _This can't be happening…not him…he'll get up in a second, he's just pretending…he'll get up…_

But he didn't get up – he just lay still and bleeding on the floor. At least twenty men suddenly came into view, all pointing guns at his body. Vanel was laughing and saying something, but his words didn't register. Sebastian wasn't getting up…all that blood…_he's really…he's really…Oh, my God…_

It was over. Sebastian was dead. The world was ending…

"S…S…SEBASTIAN!" she screamed in horror, tears already flowing down her cheeks. She forgot that the butler had told her to stay put. She'd forgotten that there was a gang of heavily-armed, pissed-off Italians that would surely kill her on sight in the next room. She had to get to Sebastian, to revive him…without a moment's thought, she tore down the hall and skidded to a halt beside Sebastian's lifeless body. "Sebastian! Wake up…please, _wake up_!" she begged, falling to her knees.

Everyone in the room started shouting at once, and Lucy was suddenly aware that there was a gun digging into the back of her head. More were pointed at her face and chest, and as she looked up to stare into the dark, cold emptiness of the barrel, she knew she would die. Right there, on the floor, just steps away from her cousin.

She closed her eyes. She was going to die. Not from illness like she had always thought, not from old age, not in the carriage accident, not in the Phantomhive fire.

_Sebastian…I'll be right there…just another minute and I'll see you again…_

Vanel's voice suddenly broke through her blank mind. "Hold on a minute. Bring her over here."

The pressure on the back of her head was lifted, and the men lowered their guns disgruntledly. Someone grabbed her arms and violently pulled her upright, harshly spinning her around to march her towards the other side of the room.

Azzurro Vanel was kneeling on the floor, one hand gripping Ciel's hair and the other holding a gun to his, Ciel's, forehead. Ciel's arms were bound to his sides by a thick leather belt, and he was covered with bumps and bruises. A trail of blood oozed out of the corner of his mouth and from under his eye patch. He looked as though he had been brutally beaten. Despite this, however, he still looked alert and relatively unconcerned with the proceedings, although he was looking disbelievingly at his cousin, as though wondering what on earth she was doing there.

The henchman holding Lucy arms kicked her legs out from under her, forcing her down on her knees so that she was at eye-level with Vanel. Vanel gave her a slow and deliberate once-over, using his gun to tilt up her chin, push her hair out of her face, and feel her chest. "Hmm," she said thoughtfully, a disapproving frown on his face. "This one's got a pretty face, but she's too scrawny for anything good." He thought for a moment, and an ugly leer spread over his face. "Still, _ognuno ha gusti diversi_. I'm sure there's a few perverts out there who'll pay big money for her. Just to be sure, though, she should be _tested_ when we're done here."

There was a ripple of laughter, and Lucy was pulled up to her feet again. New pairs of hands were closing over her neck, pinching her behind, fondling her chest…she thought of telling them to stop, but what use would it be? What did anything matter now that Sebastian was dead?

Azzurro Vanel turned back to an annoyed-looking Ciel, pressing his gun back against Ciel's forehead. "As for this one, I've damaged the goods a little bit, but you should still fetch a pretty penny. Maybe we can sell you for parts, even." He lowered his gun from the young earl's forehead and used it to tear away the eye patch to reveal a closed eye that was barely visible beneath the blue-black bangs. "Don't worry, little Phantomhive; by the time some pervert takes you in, you would have already –"

"Hey," Ciel said suddenly, his voice firm with indignation. His good eye looked past his cousin to fall on his butler's corpse. And then he said something so strange that everyone paused to listen: "How long do you intend to play around? Are you quite finished playing dead yet, Sebastian?"

There was a long pause, everyone looking between Ciel and the corpse. Lucy was aware of her heart beating loudly in anticipation. And then…

_Sebastian's hand twitched_.

"B…But that's impossible!" Vanel screeched, his face white. The guards all began shivering and gasping in terror at the thought of a dead man coming to life.

Lucy could only stare at the twitching butler, feeling warmth return to her body once more. "S…Sebastian…?"

And then, before her eyes, Sebastian blinked, opened his mouth, and spoke quite calmly, as though serving tea to a guest. "My goodness…today's guns are so much more efficient…" Like a puppet on a string, he was eerily pulled upwards to stand on his feet. "Quite different from those of _one hundred years ago_."

Vanel's guards yelled in terror and scrambled backwards, one of them loosening his grip on Lucy's arms. She mechanically broke free and stepped away from them, her eyes fixed with wonder and fear on the resurrected butler. _But how…_how_…?_

Sebastian suddenly let out an almighty cough and spat something into his hand. He lifted it up so that Vanel, Lucy, and everyone around could see the twenty bloody bullets lying there. "Allow me to return these to you," he murmured innocently, his voice taking on a deep, terrifying timbre.

Vanel's pupils dilated, and he let out a scream of terror. "W-What are you waiting for?" he shrieked at his henchmen. "Kill him! _KILL HIM!_"

The men raised their guns, but Sebastian was quicker. He drew back his arm and thrust the bullets into the air. Each one landed through the chest of a bodyguard, effectively killing him.

A few of them whizzed right past Lucy so that she could almost see them rocketing towards her. She let out a scream of her own and clapped her hands over her eyes. _This is a nightmare_, the told herself desperately, quivering all over as the thud of falling bodies echoed throughout the room. _This can't possibly be real…_

"Oh, dear," she heard Sebastian say in the tone he took whenever the servants screwed up. "My clothes are completely ruined."

"It's your own fault for playing around, you idiot," Ciel sniffed. Lucy cringed at his words and cautiously raised her eyes to look at him. He didn't seem surprised at all that his butler had not only risen from the dead, but had thrown a handful of bullets with enough force to kill twenty men. On the contrary, he looked more annoyed than ever. _Isn't he…frightened…at all…?_

Sebastian chuckled softly and started advancing towards the pair on the ground. "I must say, Young Master, that is an excellent look for you."

"St-Stop it!" Vanel shouted in horror, putting the gun back to Ciel's head. "St-Stay away!"

Sebastian continued on as if he hadn't heard the drug lord. "You look exactly like a pathetic little caterpillar. How perfect for a small, weak creature such as you." Ciel scowled in response.

"I-If you c-come any closer, I'll kill him!" Vanel shouted, pressing the gun harder into Ciel's temple.

A stab of alarm shot through Lucy, and she found her voice at last. "W-Wait, Sebastian! Don't!"

Sebastian obediently came to a halt, turning his head to smile at her. "My goodness, you are in quite the rebellious humor today, aren't you, My Lady? That's the third time you have disobeyed my request. I daresay those four idiots are a bad influence on you."

"Can we hurry this along?" Ciel snapped, his scowl deepening. "This guy's breath stinks."

Sebastian smiled patronizingly at his employer. "But if I were to come any closer, Young Master, you might be killed."

Ciel's good eye narrowed. "You bastard – do you intend to violate our Contract?"

A sudden chill overtook Lucy at the word 'contract' – it seemed like such an innocent word, but the way her cousin said it…_does he mean more than the employment contract? But what else could he…?_

Sebastian's smile widened and he placed a hand over his heart. "Certainly not. Nothing has changed – I remain your faithful servant."

"What the hell kind of nonsense are you two talking about?" Vanel screeched, nervous sweat pouring down his face.

_Th-That's what I'd like to know_, Lucy added mentally, a chilling feeling of foreboding crushing her chest.

Sebastian ignored the drug lord; it looked as though he had almost forgotten the Mafia boss was there. "Now, Young Master…I do believe I taught you how to beg?" he purred, pressing a finger to his lips.

There was a long pause, and then Ciel opened his right eye.

It had not, as Lucy had always assumed, been gouged out during the month he had been missing; it was right there in its socket, as big and bright and beautiful as its twin. Except…it wasn't colored blue, as it had been all those years ago. It shone with an eerie purple light, and there was some sort of cloud over it…Lucy squinted at it and gasped in recognition. It was _that mark_…a five-pointed star within a circle, almost exactly like the carving on her knife. _But how…when…why is it on Ciel's eye?_

The mark suddenly began to glow even brighter and even spookier as Ciel spoke again. "This is an order: save me _now_!"

Sebastian took a step forward, but Vanel had had enough. "_SHUT UP_~!"

_BANG_.

Lucy shrieked and covered her eyes as a gunshot once again pounded against her skull. That resurrection trick, whatever it was, would not work a second time…there was no way Ciel could have survived a bullet to his brain at that range…

She expected to hear the thud of Ciel's small body hitting the floor, but what came instead was another howl of terror from Vanel. "What – no! That's _impossible_!"

Lucy hesitantly raised her eyes and let out a gasp of shock. Ciel was still alive, glaring at Vanel as if he were a particularly nasty pile of paperwork. Tears of joy leapt to her eyes…but how? How had Vanel possibly missed when the gun had been right up against Ciel's head?

"Are you looking for this?"

Time seemed to slow as Lucy's eyes flicked upwards to where Sebastian was standing behind Vanel, bent down by his ear. In one hand, poised neatly above Vanel's chest, was a small, smoking bullet. In less than a second, Sebastian had closed the distance between them, gotten behind the drug lord, and snatched the bullet out of thin air.

"Here," he murmured with a tone of dark innocence. "Allow me to return this to you." He released his hold and the bullet fell neatly into Vanel's coat pocket.

As soon as metal hit fabric, something bizarre happened – without anyone touching it, the arm holding onto Ciel suddenly was snapped upwards, twisted impossibly by an unseen, brute strength. Vanel howled in pain and collapsed on the ground, twitching and clutching his mangled arm. Lucy could only stare, her eyes practically popping out of their sockets. _No bone…no bone can bend that way…what on earth…_

Sebastian, unconcerned with Vanel's pain, gently scooped up his master into his arms. Ciel sighed softly, sounding oddly exasperated. "This game wasn't much fun. And why on earth is Lucy here?" he added suddenly, his mismatched eyes falling on his cousin. Lucy made no response – she had reached such a state of terror that she could no longer speak.

"My apologies, My Lord," Sebastian said softly, lowering his master onto an armchair and ripping off his bonds. "I'm afraid there was simply no stopping her."

Ciel snorted skeptically. "If you really wanted her to go home, you could have made her. You could have dragged her back by her hair if you had to, so why didn't you?"

Sebastian was about to open his mouth to answer when Vanel, who had pulled himself upright to a sitting position and was dragging his ruined arm on the floor behind him, spoke again, a note of desperate fear in his voice. "W-Wait! Come work for me! Be my bodyguard and I'll pay you five times what the kid does – no, twenty times! And you can have all the liquor and women you want, too!"

Sebastian slowly straightened up and turned to face Vanel. His brown eyes were now glowing a bright, bloody red, and in the dull light, his pupils seemed to have become slitted, like a cat's. "My apologies, Master Vanel, but I have no interest in such materialistic, human rubbish. For you see…I am simply one _hell_ of a butler."

And seeing Sebastian's red eyes, hearing the emphasis on that one word, feeling the cold, otherworldly chill settle in the room, experiencing a terror she had never felt before in her life, made Lucy suddenly remember where it was she had seen that mark before – in her religious texts.

It was the Mark of the Devil.

Sebastian began to move slowly and inexorably towards Vanel, and Lucy's terrified eyes picked up a shadow darkening the room to a midnight pallor, and a thousand black feathers descending from nowhere. "As long as my Young Master bears the mark of the Covenant, I am his loyal lapdog." He raised his left hand to his mouth and pulled off one pristine white glove with his teeth, revealing ivory-pale skin, jet-black nails, and a violet colored Mark identical to Ciel's in the center of his hand. "A Wish…a Sacrifice…and a Contract all bind me to him…" His eyes glowed stronger, and a luscious smirk spread across his face. "…until the day that I swallow his soul."

Lucy had seen enough. With a scream of unbridled terror, she turned and fled the room as fast as her legs could go, the forgotten knife dropping from her hand. Through the door, down the hall…_oh, God, this can't be_…across the dining hall…out of the corner of her eye, she saw the shadows spreading to overtake her, the crow feathers dancing in the frigid air, threatening to choke her…a deep, throaty snarl and the rush of wings could be heard behind her, getting louder with every step she took…into the entrance hall…_almost there…I'll outrun it…_

But in her agitation, she tripped over the threshold and was sent tumbling down the stone steps, her body painfully bruised and battered. She came to a rest among the bodies of the demon's first victims, petrified and paralyzed. She had to move, had to get away from it, but she just couldn't…

The world went black. The feathers passed over her nose and mouth, choking her. And as she gazed upwards into the unfeeling red eyes of the Devil, she knew her world was truly, finally at an end.

* * *

"Honestly, what on earth was she thinking, running off like that? She had us all worried sick!"

"The fever must have made her delirious. Didn't you say she'd been speaking nonsense before she left, Madame?"

"Yes, of course, that must be it…really, though, going off on a ride off the grounds on a horse like that when she was so ill…no wonder she was thrown off!"

"I've been telling her for years that that nag is beyond hope, but she refuses to let me get rid of it. This ought to open her eyes a little…"

"The poor dear…thank heavens she's not badly hurt…oh, look, Ciel, she's waking up!"

Lucy groaned and opened her heavy eyelids. For a moment, the light blinded her (_Heaven_…_?_), but her vision cleared and she saw Madame Red beaming down at her. Ciel was standing farther back, looking surly. _Have…have they died, too?_

"Hi, sweetie," the Madame said softly, reaching down to stroke her hair. "How are you feeling?"

"I…okay…"

Lucy struggled to a sitting position, but Madame Red gently pushed her down again. "Settle down, dear, you need to rest. Everything's all right now, you're in bed. Ciel brought you back home."

"Brought me…home?" she echoed strangely, shaking her head weakly. That wasn't right – hadn't she just been about to die? "But…but what about that…that _monster_?" she breathed, shivering in fear at the memory.

Ciel snorted. "Well, I'm glad you finally understand what a menace that animal is. Maybe now I can get rid of it to replace with a better-trained horse."

_Horse…_? "N…No, n-not Diablo, the…that big…" Lucy took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Her head was killing her; she couldn't think straight. "…what happened?" she asked finally, looking from her mother to her cousin.

"Don't you remember, dear? You left the manor grounds for a ride on that black horse you liked so much," Madame Red prompted gently. "But you were thrown off and you hit your head. We were all so worried. Ciel went off after you and was gone for hours looking."

Lucy frowned, trying to make sense of what she had just heard. "No…" she said finally, shaking her head. "I didn't fall from Diablo…"

"Yes, you did," Ciel said simply from the corner. "Perhaps we should take her to the hospital, Madame."

"Oh, don't be silly, dear, she's only got a few bruises. I'm sure she'll remember after another nap, this sort of disorientation is perfectly normal."

"Wait," Lucy said suddenly, glancing wide-eyed between her alarmed relatives. They were lying to her, both of them…why were they lying? "I _wasn't_ thrown, I was going off after Ciel, Vanel kidnapped him –"

Madame Red frowned, looking confused. "Kidnapped? But, darling, Vanel hadn't –"

"Yes, he did," Lucy said firmly. "Ciel, tell her, tell her how you…"

She trailed off, cowed by Ciel's harsh glare. "You see, Madame? She's delirious. She needs a hospital right away."

"I suppose you're right…" the Madame said reluctantly.

Lucy's eye twitched in frustration. "_I am not delirious_! It really happened, I'm not making it up! I don't understand why –"

There was a quiet knock at the door of her bedroom, and Sebastian entered bearing a tea tray. "Pardon my intrusion. I have prepared tea – ah, Lady Luciana, you have awakened? Excellent."

Madame Red sighed, accepting a steaming teacup. "I wish it were, Sebastian. I think she's still feverish. She's been speaking nonsense about Ciel being kidnapped, it's not at all – Lucy, dear? What's the matter?"

From the moment the door had opened, Lucy had stared at Sebastian with wide, hypnotized eyes. Now, as he came closer and closer to her bed, she let out an unholy scream and moved to fling herself from the bed, her face a mask of terror. It was all Madame Red and Sebastian could do to hold her down. "_Nooooo_~!" she shrieked, scrambling backwards, trying to put as much distance between herself and the demon as possible. "No, please, don't hurt me! I don't want to die! I'm a good girl! I'm sorry I can't go to church, I would if I could, but I pass out every time I go, but I swear I'm good, honest, I don't want to go to Hell, please –"

Sebastian suddenly pressed a finger over her mouth. "Be at peace, My Lady," he purred gently, smiling soothingly. "You are in no danger. There is nothing here that will hurt you."

Lucy shook her head frantically and shrank back form Sebastian's touch. "No…no," she whispered hoarsely. "You…you killed Vanel…all those guards…on your hand…Ciel's eye…you're a…a…_monster_!"

No one moved for a long time. Sebastian looked down at the invalid curiously, his face impassive. Lucy stared back at him, her chest heaving and her eyes wide. Madame Red looked back and forth between them, deeply concerned. Ciel examined his nails, appearing apathetic but standing much stiffer than normal.

Finally, Sebastian took a deep breath and smiled down kindly at Lucy. "I believe," he said quietly, "that Lady Luciana has had quite the disturbing nightmare."

"Nightmare?" Lucy and Madame Red echoed at the same time. Ciel merely raised an eyebrow.

"Quite. Lady Luciana is under the impression that the Young Master was kidnapped by Azzurro Vanel, and in order to rescue him, I transformed myself into a monster of some sort." He turned to Ciel. "Young Master, were you by any chance taken hostage by Master Vanel?"

Ciel gave him his "don't-be-ridiculous-you-stupid-butler" look. "Of course not. I was in my study until Madame Red and Lau left my manor, but when Lucy didn't come back, I had to go running off after her. I haven't seen Vanel since noon."

Sebastian nodded. "Thank you, Young Master. As for myself, I do not believe I am secretly some sort of demonic beast, unless I take the form unconsciously." He smiled thoughtfully. "Therefore, the only logical conclusion to approach is that these events took place in Lady Luciana's mind whilst she was unconscious – that is, in a dream."

Lucy blinked a couple times, and then shook her head again. "No…no, it wasn't a dream! It was too real…too frightening…I would have woken up much sooner than…"

"Dreams can often be both irrational and realistic, particularly when one is ill," Sebastian pointed out matter-of-factly.

"But…but…" She looked over at Ciel, desperate to prove her point. "How did you get all those bruises, then?"

Ciel scowled at her. "Your bloody horse was throwing a fit, and I was thrown from my mount because of it."

"Ciel! Watch your language!" the Madame reprimanded. Ciel muttered something unintelligible.

Lucy's head was beginning to spin. _Could it possibly have been a dream_? But it had been so real. She supposed what everyone was saying did make sense, but she couldn't remember leaving the mansion for a casual ride…but there was one way to see if it had been a dream or not. "Sebastian," she said quietly, still too scared to look directly at him. "Could you…take off your glove, please?"

If Sebastian was surprised at this unusual request, he did not show it. "Certainly, My Lady. The right glove, or the left?"

"Er…the left," Lucy said after a moment's thought. _Here we go_…

Sebastian raised his left hand to his mouth and deftly pulled off the glove with his teeth. He then held out the back of his hand for Lucy to examine. The skin was ivory-white, as before, but there was no Devil Mark on his skin, and his nails were milky white. It was, for all intents and purposes, a normal-looking hand.

Lucy let out the breath she'd been holding and sank back onto the pillow. It _had _been a dream. Sebastian was not a demon – he was just as human as she was. "So it wasn't real," she murmured softly. "That's good…"

Madame Red nodded. "See, dear? Everything's fine. Don't you feel better?"

"Yes," Lucy lied, still uneasy. "Er…I'm sorry, everyone, but could you please leave me alone for a while? I'm a bit tired…"

Madame Red smiled kindly. "Of course, dear. It's getting quite late anyway. Just shout if you need anything, all right?"

"Mm-hmm…"

"The Young Master and I ought to be returning, as well," Sebastian observed, glancing at his watch. "I fear that in our absence, the other servants may have done something idiotically drastic."

"All right. Did you have enough to eat, Ciel?"

"Yes, thank you for the meal. I hate to impose on you, but if _someone_ had had the dinner prepared in time…"

"My apologies, Young Master."

The three exited the room loudly, leaving Lucy alone and feeling extremely foolish. Of _course_ it had been a dream. People can't come back from the dead or move with such speed in real life. It was medically impossible to have a mark carved into one's eye without the eye being pulled from the socket. And Sebastian – polite, courteous, compassionate Sebastian – he was a human, and a good man. "He's a good man," she repeated out loud, blushing a little. "There's no way he could really be a de – aargh!"

Before she could even get the word out, a painful, burning shock coursed through her chest. Moaning in pain, her hands automatically flew to her collarbone…

…_huh_?

The pain died down as Lucy patted her collarbone a few times, feeling an odd collection of bumps beneath the silk of her nightgown. _That wasn't there this morning…_Feeling slightly uneasy, Lucy got out of bed, wobbled over to her mirror, and examined her chest.

There was an odd scar standing out against the whiteness of her collarbone. It was very oddly shaped – six short, straight lines pointing inward to a point in the center of her chest, like an asterisk. She reached up to touch it; it felt unusually warm. "Where in the world did this thing come from?" she murmured, running her finger down one of the lines. Someone could only get a scar like this if they were stabbed and shot, and she hadn't ever been hurt like that, not even in that dream…and she hadn't had the scar that morning, so what had happened?

She was about to call Madame Red to have her take a look, but something reflected in the mirror caught her attention. Frowning pensively, she stumbled over to her nightstand, picked up the object, stared at it for a moment, but gasped and dropped it as soon as she recognized it.

It was the knife from the dream.

* * *

"That was too close," Ciel grumbled, climbing into bed. "What were you thinking, bringing her along like that? She's found out all about the Contract!"

Sebastian unconcernedly tucked in his master, smiling pleasantly. "I have my reasons, My Lord."

Ciel glared at him. "You're a butler; you're not supposed to have your own reasons."

Sebastian's smirk widened as he placed a hand over his heart. "I apologize, Young Master."

Ciel sighed exasperatedly in response. "It was a good thing we had Maylene's make-up on hand, or else we never would have heard the end of it…no, it's already too late, after all she saw…"

"Now, now, there is no cause for concern, Young Master. As you plainly saw, Lady Luciana was quite willing to believe that today's entire escapade was nothing more than a fever-induced dream."

Ciel shook his head, lying back onto the pillow. "That isn't enough. Lucy may be gullible, but she is no fool. Eventually, she'll realize what she saw today was all too real."

"Ah, but humans such as Lady Luciana have very weak minds that are easily tricked, especially when the trickery helps them to forget undesirable things. I doubt Lady Luciana would be too keen to remember that her beloved savior is a hellish 'monster'." He chuckled softly.

Ciel's eyes narrowed. "All the same, we can't be certain that she'll go on thinking today was just a dream. Isn't there some way you can make sure, Sebastian? Don't demons have the power to erase memories?"

Something flashed in Sebastian's eyes, unnoticed by the young earl. "Certain demons do have that power, but alas, I do not. However, even if I did, Young Master, I would be reluctant to use it."

"Why is that?"

"Memory spells are not permanent, My Lord, and can easily be shattered by another demon's power. If that were to happen, not only would the memories of our little secret come to light, but Lady Luciana could suffer further brain damage. I doubt the Young Master would want that of his dear cousin," he added mockingly.

Ciel grunted.

His smirk growing even wider, Sebastian leaned over the bed to whisper in the young lord's ear. "And yet, My Lord, you have yet to suggest the one way be can be absolutely certain that Lady Luciana will take her secret _to her grave_. Why could that be, I wonder? Perhaps you are too fond of her to end her life?"

Ciel flushed angrily as he turned to glare at Sebastian. "Shut up! I just don't want to hear Madame Red's whining, and it would be difficult to cover up. That's all!"

Sebastian laughed again. "Of course, Young Master."

"_Get out_."

Sebastian bowed. "Yes, My Lord. Have a good night's rest." He took hold of the candelabra and left the room with another bow.

Ciel sat there fuming for a while before sighing and lying back once more. "Stupid demon," he muttered into his pillow, his eyes starting to close…

Something suddenly occurred to him, and he bolted upright in bed. "Damaged…_further_?" Did that mean that his cousin already had brain damage of some sort? Well, there was the amnesia, but other than that, she seemed fine…

"Wait…"

Ciel replayed the conversation over and over in his mind. Each time he did it, his conclusion seemed more and more likely.

Could it be that Lucy had lost her memories…because of a demon?

* * *

This is, by the way, 23 pages in Word. Ouch...

Don't worry, we'll find out Sebastian's motives soon enough. And it looks like Ciel really does care. 3

Next chapter we get to meet Lizzie! I already have Lucy's cutsie pink ball "gown" on my deviantART, but does anyone have any other suggestion on what Lucy should wear?


End file.
